Experimental and numerical investigation of a proposed monolithic-like precast concrete column-foundation connection

Precast structures are increasingly used in modern construction since they offer advantages such as cost-efficiency, better material quality, and fast construction due to their mass production compared to cast-in-situ structures. However, development of monolithic-like precast connections to ensure adequate seismic performance is still a challenging task. This study aims to introduce a monolithic-like column-foundation precast connection, which is easy to assemble and disassemble and therefore is replaceable in case of excessive damage. To investigate the efficiency of the proposed system, four full-scale precast and monolithic column-foundation connection specimens are tested under constant axial load and lateral reversed cyclic loading. Experimental results are then used to obtain seismic performance parameters such as failure mode, flexural capacity, initial stiffness, ductility, energy dissipation and curvature distribution. The results indicate that, in general, the proposed precast connections exhibit similar structural performance as their monolithic counterparts. Subsequently, experimentally validated finite element (FE) models are developed to provide practical tools for seismic design and performance assessment of the proposed precast connection system. It is shown that the developed models can accurately estimate the load-bearing capacity, initial stiffness and post-peak behaviour of both precast and monolithic column-foundation connections.