Performance monitoring of PPVC connectors

Abstract

According to the Construction Industry Transformation Map (ITM), Building Construction Authority (BCA) pushed forward to adopt Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) technology across the Singapore built environment. Therefore, the technique of connecting PPVC modules plays a significant role in all PPVC constructions as it determines the rigidity and structural integrity of the overall building. Over the past, only limited numbers of the study were conducted on the reinforced concrete PPVC modules connectors. Among different RC PPVC connectors, this study was conducted on the double wire loop boxes and single wire loops which are used to connect the PPVC walls. Direct shear tests and separation tests were conducted on the wall connectors cast inside the concrete wall samples. To capture and monitor the strain changes in the wire loops, key bars, deformation of grout joints and concrete wall samples, various types of sensors - fiber Bragg grating sensors (FBG), chirped fiber Bragg grating sensors (CFBG), electrical strain gauges (SGs - foil type) and the linear voltage differential transducers (LVDT) were deployed in the lab test. From the tests, the performance on strain behavior of the wire loops, key bars as well as the grout joint and concrete deformation were observed and discussed in detail. Apart from the lab experiment, ANSYS software simulation was also conducted as a comparative study to enhance better understanding. This paper will provide more insights on the importance of the grout and concrete bonding quality on PPVC wall connection as well as the performance of wire loops under direct shear and separation load conditions. There are two reports for this final year project, CT-10AB-1 and CT-10AB-2 with this report being CT-10AB-2.