Failure of a Rigidly Framed Concrete Parking Structure Due to Thermally Induced Earth Pressure

An instrumentation program was undertaken to monitor the movements of a multi-story underground parking-structure exhibiting signs of large deformation and severe structural distress including the failure of a column. The structure is a four-story reinforced concrete building with a rectangular footprint measuring 52.42 m by 71.32 m. The building’s structural system consists of reinforced concrete waffle slabs supported by rectangular reinforced-concrete columns. The instrumentation plan included the installation of eight vibrating-wire displacement transducers to monitor displacements, and twenty-four electrolytic tiltmeters to monitor inclinations. The instrument data was recorded hourly and read via a remote site modem connected to a datalogger for three years. Measurements indicate that earth pressure against rigidly framed structures, subject to wide temperature variations, is largely dependent on seasonal variation of temperature and the structural stiffness of the building. A summary of the instrumentation program and a brief interpretation of typical measurements are presented, along with a discussion of lessons learned and recommendations for similar projects