Title:
Hybrid Testing of Beam-to-Column Connection Regions of a Code Compliant RC Moment Frame Building
Author(s):
Burcu Burak Bakir
Publication:
Symposium Paper
Volume:
311
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
1-16
Keywords:
beam-to-column connections, hybrid testing, joint mechanism, joint shear distortion, performance assessment
DOI:
10.14359/51689312
Date:
9/1/2016
Abstract:
The beam-to-column connection regions of reinforced concrete frames are generally considered to be rigid and the inelastic behavior of the joint is not considered both in analysis and design applications. However, joint shear distortions that are observed under earthquake loading have a major contribution to the story drift of a structure. Even if the story drifts are not significant, a collapse mechanism may be formed due to extensive deformations in the beams, columns or connection regions. Therefore, the seismic performance of each member
should be investigated independently from that of the frame. In this experimental research, the seismic performance of beam-to-column connection regions of a 1/2–scale three-story three-bay RC frame is studied. Hybrid (pseudo-dynamic, PsD) testing method is utilized and earthquake excitations with increasing intensities are applied sequentially to the frame. The reinforced concrete moment resisting frame building is designed following the code requirements, however a joint mechanism is formed under high intensity seismic loads. The
joint shear distortions are observed to be significant even for the basic safety earthquake level, when soft soil conditions are present. In this paper, the seismic performance of the frame and individual member responses are discussed for earthquake loadings with different probabilities of exceedance. The interaction between the beam end rotation and joint shear distortion and the effect of connection performance on the seismic behavior of the frame are explained in detail.