Experimental Evaluation of Precast Concrete Walls with High-Tension Bolted Vertical Joints for Enhanced Ductile Behavior

This paper presents an experimental program investigating the seismic performance of Precast Concrete (PC) walls incorporating a novel vertical joint featuring high-tension bolts. The proposed joint aims to enhance both the constructability and ductile behavior of PC walls while eliminating defects due to bolt exposure associated with conventional dry joints. To evaluate the shear performance of the joints, three specimens were constructed: a cast-in-place concrete wall, a PC wall with the conventional wet joint, and a PC wall with the proposed joint. Direct shear tests revealed a substantial improvement in the ductile behavior of the proposed vertical joint, demonstrating gradual and controlled failure, even at high strains. Static cyclic loading tests further assessed the seismic performance of two PC walls: one with the conventional wet joint and the other with the high-tension bolted vertical joint. The PC wall with the proposed joint exhibited a substantial 20% increase in ultimate displacement compared to the control specimen, along with demonstrably improved crack control and reduced damage. Therefore, it is concluded that although the strength and stiffness decreased due to its design characteristics, the proposed vertical joint could mitigate damage and improve the ductility capacity of the PC wall.