STUDIO SUL COMPORTAMENTO BIDIREZIONALE DI CONNESSIONI MECCANICHE SCORREVOLI PANNELLO-TELAIO

An innovative panel-to-structure sliding connection for isostatic large concrete cladding walls has been experimentally tested at Politecnico di Milano to verify its capacity to not get tangled in plane even when subjected to the maximum out-of-plane force for which it is designed. In the two versions, for vertical and horizontal panels, the out-of-plane force is axial and shear, respectively. A uniaxial test setup with application of constant axial or shear force has been realized, with the possibility to slide with very low friction on mechanical linear guides. The tests show that the connection is able to slide even under the constant application of the maximum out-of-plane load with stable hysteretic cycles, and static and dynamic friction coefficients have been experimentally evaluated. Such coefficients are useful in the design phase, especially regarding the panel-to-foundation connection, which is normally conceived as clamped to avoid geometric changes due to rocking of the panel. An example of calculation of forces in the connections is proposed for both the case of vertical and horizontal panels.