The objective of this proposal is to build an approximately half-scale model of a section of a precast concrete parking structure on the large-scale shake table at the NEES site at the University of California-San Diego. This is an important addition to other tests and analytical studies being conducted cooperatively at the University of Arizona, UCSD and Lehigh University. Field surveys after several U.S. earthquakes have shown that this structural system often provides poor resistance to seismic loads. The research is a closely integrated analytical and experimental effort intended to significantly advance fundamental knowledge of the seismic behavior of precast floor diaphragms during earthquakes. This is a very complex system under dynamic loads and is a very popular structural system for certain types of structures. This analytical and experimental effort intended to significantly advance knowledge of the seismic behavior of precast floor diaphragms with the specific objective of producing an appropriate seismic design methodology for eventual code implementation. This objective is realized through regular input from an active industry task group with a strong presence on code-writing bodies.
