Experimental and Analytical Study of the Dynamic Characteristics of Architectural Precast Concrete Cladding

Architectural precast concrete (APC) cladding is composed of separate panel units, each one with its own mass, stiffness, and natural modes. If a natural frequency of the panel is particularly low (< 20 Hz), the corresponding mode could be activated during an earthquake, creating amplification of accelerations in the panel and forces in the connections. To clarify this issue, a study of the dynamic characteristics of connected panels was performed. Numerical models of panels were created using SAP2000 and validated thorough experimental data from a seismic test on a full-scale building incorporating APC cladding. Since these models revealed able to predict the experimental frequencies of the panels, they were used to perform further investigations. Namely, a sensitivity study was conducted to determine the effects of the stiffness and location of the connections, geometry of the panels, and stiffness of the concrete on the dynamic behavior of the panels.