AUTHORS

Ángel Ortiz Bonet,
TierrA Armada. S.A.
Luis Vega Catalán
CSIC

ABSTRACT

Many people think that precast concrete structures are weak in seismic situations and, in fact, some normative regulations may difficult the use of prefabrication as the best solution in such cases.

On the contrary than in other accidental situations —as in fire where this weakness does not exist— only the existence of too severe codes unable to define with precision behaviours, and clearly unfair in the comparison of metallic and concrete structures, can produce this appearance. In seismic zones precast structures must be designed with some specific details to avoid a failure. These measures, in its maximum level, can give to precast concrete structures the same monolithic behaviour than cast in situ reinforced concrete structures. In its minimum level they can give enough resistance although it could be necessary to increase the dimension of columns.