SAFECLADDING Project: Pseudodynamic Testing on Precast Structures with Horizontal Cladding Panels

Current design approaches ignore the influence of cladding panels, assuming that they are non-structural elements not interacting with the frame. Unfortunately, the detailing of panel-to-frame connections may give rise to major safety issues in case of earthquake. The SAFECLADDING Project was aimed at assessing current systems and proposing new solutions to overcome the encountered issues. New design approaches have been developed for improving the connection systems between cladding panels and precast reinforced concrete frames in seismic-prone areas. Existing connections were used as often as possible and new devices were proposed. Several test setups have been adopted within the same experimental campaign, corresponding to the envisaged design alternatives: isostatic, dissipative and integrated. Both vertical and horizontal panels have been considered. The paper describes the results obtained with the horizontal-panels arrangement and the comparison with the bare frame (BF), which is the reference for the current design practice that considers panels as non-structural elements. The test sequences were carried out using increasing levels of actions, either with cyclic pushover tests or pseudo-dynamic tests, the latter both for serviceability and ultimate limit states. The experimental programme for horizontal panels and the bare frame resulted in a total of thirteen tests. The results confirm that the behaviour of horizontal cladding panels (HPs) is far from both the BF and vertical panels (VPs) systems: masses and stiffness are altered by this configuration, changing the overall structure response. Indeed, the HPs do alter the overall dynamic response of the building in a more complex manner compared to VPs