Abstract
Various precast concrete (PC) shear wall systems are widely used as a primary seismic force-resisting system. For PC walls, the seismic performance of vertical and horizontal joints governs the degree of coupling, lateral strength, and deformation capacity. Current codes require a similar level of overstrength in the connection design of PC intermediate shear walls. In this study, three vertical joint details—wire loop (W), double loop (D), and steel box connector (B)—were investigated through direct shear tests and subsequent cyclic loading tests on large-scale PC walls. The results were further examined through nonlinear finite element analyses. All three joint details substantially exceeded the interface shear strength specified by design codes. Under cyclic loading, the PC specimens showed overall satisfactory seismic performance. For the wire-loop specimen, a typical plastic hinge formed, achieving fully emulative performance. In contrast, the other two specimens exhibited rigid rocking-dominated responses at the base in their post-peak regime, despite having code-compliant vertical joint shear strength. This rocking response was traced back to bond-slip in the grouted-sleeve splice (GSS) connections at the base. It was likely caused by insufficient grout compressive strength or incomplete grouting quality due to construction defects, which ultimately led to premature strength degradation and limited deformation capacity. These findings highlight the critical importance of strict grout quality control in grouted-sleeve splices to ensure reliable emulative seismic performance in PC shear wall systems.