Fast construction of blast/seismic resistant prefabricated residential buildings

Abstract

This paper presents the benefits of a hybrid shear wall system as blast/seismic resisting elements for short term as well as long term military, commercial and industrial settlements. Different from traditional sandwich shear wall systems, the hybrid shear walls consist of two exterior precast wall layers and one interior cast-in-place concrete layer. This type of wall system has been increasingly used in moderate to high-rise buildings in low-seismicity areas, and its seismic behavior is little known. Understanding its seismic behavior helps develop rational seismic design details as an alternative seismic force resisting system to conventional cast-in-place shear walls by combining the inherent benefits of speedy construction and sustainability of precast technology with improved structural integrity and ductility.