SAFECAST is the third loop of an internationally supported projects by the European Union. The aim is to develop new types of joints for building systems consisting of prefabricated building elements. Experimental and theoretical studies have been carried out within the scope of the project, which brings together small and medium sized entrepreneurs and their associations and some research institutions of the European Union member states. In our country, we have also been able to conduct research together with the Turkish Prefabricators Union and the leading organizations of the sector. At the end of the project; new joint types have emerged. Those joint types are tested and their design principles have been determined. So they can be used in practice.

The master’s thesis that I worked on as a part of the Project, has approached the subject specific to the connections of the prefabricated flooring slab panels. Dry-joint connections have been studied theoretically in order to make a more practical alternative to the traditional wet joint method. The type of flooring (longer than twice the length of one side) structures were examined where the performance of these connection is the main determinant of diaphragm behavior and that the rigid diaphragm assumption is not possible.

The study basically examines whether the safety coefficients given for the prefabricated fasteners in various regulations are sufficient in the entire construction by using the pinned dry connecting elements shown in Figure 3.

As a result, when it is assumed that flooring does not behave as a rigid diaphragm in the plane, it was proven for the aforementioned sample building that connecting elements cannot provide the desired ductility despite the safety factors in the regulations. This was shown by static load increase and dynamic time-history methods.

This thesis work has been used as a source of the article written by F. Karadoğan, E. Yüksel, E.Bal and published in ‘Concrete Prefabrication’ Journal. It has been used as a reference in the final reports of SAFECAST Project – Turkey branch.

Related Links;
A.Demir – Master Thesis:
https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/TezGoster?key=rcbWnuqW6HxCZ_98ARapgkoLK36U7x9VyqHK0a985MauBs-YRkJgX0SHN6N_uYjK

A.Demir – Master Thesis and English Abstract:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B2ysNLDzsvjEd3o0dko4S2VfVm8?usp=sharing

Article published in ‘Concrete Prefabrication’ Journal:
https://docplayer.biz.tr/4180477-Safecast-arastirma-projesinin-bir-parcasi-olarak-iki-tip-prefabrike-dis-kolon-kiris-birlesim-bolgesi.html

“What is Safecast?”
https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/horizon2020/document.cfm?doc_id=4523

Safecast Project Details:
https://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-safecast&calledby=infocentre&item=Countries&artid=28395&caller=other