Modeling, Analysis, and Behavior of Load-Carrying Precast Concrete Sandwich Panels

Abstract

This paper investigates the behavior of precast concrete sandwich panels (PCSPs) made with truss shear connectors, which accounts for partial shear interaction. A theoretical model is developed based on variational principles and equations of equilibrium that account for the axial and bending rigidities of reinforced concrete (RC) layers and their potential cracking, the shear and normal rigidities of the insulation layer, and the elastic flexibility of the diagonal truss connectors. This layered modeling approach is general and can be used to describe the structural behavior under various loading patterns and boundary conditions, with the influence of the partial shear interaction as an automatic outcome of the analysis. As such, it provides a better and a more reliable tool than other existing simplified models in the literature for describing the complex structural behavior of PCSPs. A parametric study is presented, which investigates key parameters in the design of concrete sandwich panels, such as the diameter of the diagonal bars of the truss connectors, their inclination angle, and the thicknesses of the different layers of the panel. The results shed light on the structural behavior and provide insight into the main parameters that control the composite action of the panel. A comparison of the theoretical model with test results from the literature is also presented.