In recent years it has become common practice to see the construction of tall buildings in large metropolitan cities, many of which have structural designs with immense complexity. Due to this complexity these tall buildings require engineering solutions that are practical, economical, versatile and of high quality. Aligned to these concepts, the use of precast elements in buildings plays an essential role and has been gaining its fair share of the market; however, the connection of precast elements in the structure is still debated amongst professionals. Parallel to this discussion, is the application of mechanical couplers to connect reinforcing bars.
Mechanical couplers are often specified by structural engineers and used as an alternative to the traditional lap splice method for making connections in precast structures. This paper presents a case study about a bolted and threaded coupler application with the main purpose to connect precast beams and columns at a shopping mall called Parque da Cidade, located in São Paulo, Brazil. Promoting overall structural integrity in accordance with the design was extremely important when evaluating if the use of mechanical couplers would be a viable option.
Through the use of previous studies, developing the proper connection specifications for ductility and strength, developing proper technical and installation procedures, and a high effort in quality control, mechanical couplers were proven to be an economical alternative for making connections in large precast structures and were ultimately used on this project.
