ABSTRACT
This chapter concerns the major structural connections between beams, columns and foundations in skeletal frames. All connections must have a mechanical tensile force capacity, even compression and especially shear connections. Beam-to-column connections are the most important connections in precast skeletal frames. They are thought of by the profession at large as being difficult to specify, design and construct, especially those which are hidden within the beam. Hidden connectors are more suited to multi-beam connections than corbels because of the difficulties in casting corbels on three or four faces. Hidden connectors usually comprise two main parts – a beam unit and a column unit. A corbel is a short cantilever projection from the face of a column which supports a load-bearing element on its upper horizontal ledge.
