Evaluating precast concrete column tilt-up methods to examine erection safety

Abstract

A hybrid composite pre-cast concrete column called SMART column has been developed to increase the productivity of the tilt-up construction method. SMART column, consisting of three pre-cast concrete members and steel joints connecting them, covers three stories per unit. The joints where concrete is not poured during production consist of connection steel and rebar installed through three pre-cast concrete members, and are weak areas for possible failure due to stress concentration. Although SMART column is designed safely through sufficient structural review, failure can occur during the tilt-up process adversely affecting cost and time. This paper presents the field experiment results on SMART column for its safe erection by measuring the embedded rebar strains using five different lifting procedures during the tilt-up process. Based on experiment investigations, all five lifting procedures exhibited small strain behaviours in reinforcing bars, indicating no significant bending was observed during the lifting procedures, which proved the safe erection of a SMART column.