Precast Garage Moment Frames?

[CTSeng]

Have a project, 4 story, 400'x80', 2 office over 2 parking and the owner is interested in possibly going full precast but does not want to have any walls interrupting the open floors. i.e. just columns and beams

Is this done often? Sounds like lots of difficult and costly moment connections. How does this option compare in cost to shearwalls?

Thanks

 

[14159]

It is done often. You should contact Tindell or whichever precast mfr is likely to get your job.

14159

 

[LPPE]

The precaster I typically deal with always shys away from moment connections. K-frames and shear walls is what they prefer. Their engineers say it is difficult to achieve a moment connection in the field with precast pieces. Maybe it can be achieved with post-tensioning, but that might add time and labor cost to assemble.

 

[astructurale]

I agree with 14519. Try Tindall, Coreslab, Rocky Mountain Prestress, or one of the other larger precasters. You can find one in your area at

http://www.pci.org.

It has become more and more prevelant to design using precast frames. I've see some projects done with them and they look great too. For parking structures they give you a lot more open space. Call all of the precasters that service your area to find out who's doing them.

Cost wise I'm told it can reduce your foundation sizes by using them instead of shearwalls in regions where seismic governs, becuase frames get a lower R value than shearwalls.

Good luck!

 

[astructurale]

LLPE - There is a way around dealing with moment connections (beam to column) for precast frames. Tindall-GA is doing it, and the product is very attractive.

 

[SperlingPE]

The office I work in is doing a project that will use moment connections for a precast concrete building. I am not familiar with the Tindall product. The design is being done by Tadros & Associates and Concrete Industries. The project is a multi-story medical facility.

 

[astructurale]

As far as I know Tindall's frame structure product is relatively new. Maybe 5yrs. It does eliminate the need for difficult field connections. I believe they also have an alternate system that incorporates cast-in-place to ease field connections if you went with a traditional frame structure, and the other product did not suit your project's framing.