Structural Behavior of Prefabricated Concrete Wall Panels and Their Connections: A State-of-the-Art and Practice Review

Semi-prefabricated and prefabricated concrete construction is today widely accepted as the standard method for industrial facilities, warehouse halls, and similar structures. In addition to such buildings, increasing attention has recently been given to prefabricated construction of residential buildings using load-bearing prefabricated walls. System simplicity, rapid construction, efficient site organization, and robust load transfer have stimulated the development of multiple systems and technologies, mainly differing in panel infill and connection type. In all these systems, panel connections represent the key structural detail. The connections must transfer all foreseeable forces, but their number and complexity must not be excessive, so as not to compromise the fundamental advantages of this construction method. This paper presents a review of the current state of knowledge on the behavior of prefabricated concrete wall panels and their connections by analyzing the results of numerical and experimental investigations. Current codes and guidelines relevant to prefabricated wall systems are reviewed in the context of design and construction practice in Europe and worldwide, showing that they are largely based on general recommendations rather than explicit design provisions. Key disadvantages of existing models and areas requiring additional experimental validation and numerical model calibration are identified. Finally, the study contributes to a better understanding of the factors that affect the reliability and cost-effectiveness of prefabricated wall panels in the building industry.