ABSTRACT
Precast concrete sandwich wall panels (SWPs), also known as insulated concrete walls, are thermally efficient prefabricated elements. The higher environmental and economic cost of heating and cooling has led researchers to improve the thermal resistance of the buildings with an enhanced level of structural efficiency. The use of prefabricated elements ensures higher quality control and reduces the in situ construction time. Therefore, prefabricated SWPs have successfully been used as exterior facade or load-bearing walls in building envelopes for decades. SWPs are composed of two reinforced concrete wythes, which surround an insulation layer and are linked by connectors. SWPs can be composite or non-composite depending upon whether the outer layer is designed to bear the load or act as an architectural facade. This chapter discusses the structural behavior of SWPs subjected to in-plane vertical axial compression loading, which simulates mainly concentrically or eccentrically acting dead and live loads. Further, a brief discussion on the role of connectors is also presented.
