Cyclic Testing of a Seismic-Resistant Column-to-Foundation Connection for Precast Concrete Buildings

The paper discusses the outcomes of two reverse cyclic tests performed at the University of Brescia on precast columns. These tests involved two concrete columns connected to the foundation through an innovative seismic-resistant connection designed for use in precast concrete structures. The proposed connection consists of a steel plate, located at the column end, and a series of threaded steel bars able to provide an effective connection to the foundation. The design of the steel plate has been tailored to ensure ade-quate strength and ductility during seismic events. Moreover, to facilitate the appropriate placement of the precast column during construction, some structural details have been implemented to securely anchor the threaded bars to the cast-in-place foundation. During the tests the columns were subjected to a constant axial load, applied through two hydraulic jacks, and to a cyclic horizon-tal force applied by a displacement-controlled jack to simulate the effects of a seismic action. Two different reinforcement ar-rangements for the column have been investigated. The experimental work aims at assessing the deformation capacity, the re-sistance and the failure mechanism governing the behavior of the connection when exposed to simultaneous combinations of bending and shear forces.