Parametric Numerical Analysis of Factors Influencing the Shear Strength of Precast Concrete Walls with Dry Connections  
[PERSON]  
1 CERIS, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Universidade de Lisboa, v. Rovisco Pais, N\({}^{+}\) 1, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.R.); seyedsajjad.hosseini@tecnico.  
However, in current market practices, connections between precast elements are often executed using in-situ casting [5; 6; 7], where concrete is poured around steel bars protruding from adjacent structural components to create a monolithic joint. This process can delay project timelines and hinder the disassembly of structures at the end of their service life. To address these challenges, dry connections have been proposed as a viable alternative [8; 9], better aligned with the principles of manufacture-to-assemble (MTA). Nonetheless, the adoption of dry connections introduces additional complexity, particularly in ensuring satisfactory seismic performance--a critical consideration in earthquake-prone regions.  
The seismic performance of precast concrete structures has been extensively studied, highlighting both challenges and opportunities for improvement. A key issue with dry connections is their inherent lack of monolithic continuity, which can affect stiffness, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity under cyclic loading. These properties are essential for ensuring the structural safety of precast systems during earthquakes.  
Despite these challenges, the historical evidence demonstrates that well-designed and detailed precast concrete structures can achieve exceptional seismic performance. For instance, during the 1985 Mexico City Earthquake, only five out of 265 precast concrete buildings collapsed, with most remaining structurally intact [10]. Similarly, large-panel precast buildings sustained minimal damage during the 1988 Armenian Earthquake, especially compared to widespread failures of masonry structures [11; 12]. These successes have been attributed to factors such as higher design force levels, regular structural geometry, superior construction quality, and respect for modern design standards. During the 1995 Kobe Earthquake, precast prestressed concrete buildings performed outstandingly, and similar resilience was observed in well-designed precast industrial structures during the 1999 Kocaeli Earthquake [13; 14].  
Most of these examples involve wet connections, where adjacent elements are joined with cast-in-place concrete. However, advancing the use of dry connections in seismic applications remains an active area of research [15; 16]. Dry connections, essential to the MTA approach, offer increased practicality and sustainability by reducing construction times and facilitating disassembly at the end of a structure's service life. Ensuring their seismic performance, however, requires a thorough understanding of key parameters influencing their behaviour under earthquake loading.  
To address these gaps, this study conducts a comprehensive parametric numerical investigation into the shear capacity of precast walls with dry connections. Shear strength--a critical parameter for the seismic performance of walls--is evaluated across various configurations. Using SeismoStruct [17] software, pushover analyses were performed to examine the influence of multiple factors, including:  
* Concrete compressive strength
* Axial force percentage
* Wall height
* Connection characteristics, such as bar dimensions, quantity, and positioning.  
More than 340 simulations were conducted to assess the individual and combined effects of these parameters on shear strength. The results, presented graphically, identify the influence of each parameter and highlight optimal combinations that maximise the shear strength of precast concrete walls with dry connections.