Testing of RC Walls Using Advanced Load-Control and Instrumentation Methods

Abstract eng:
A series of experimental tests on large reinforced concrete structural walls are being conducted at the University of Illinois NEES facility as part of the project “NEESR-SG: Seismic Behavior, Analysis and Design of Complex Wall Systems” which is led by Drs. Laura Lowes and Dawn Lehman from the University of Washington. The types of walls being tested include planar, coupled, and C-shaped walls. Each of the test structures is one third scale, approximately 4 m high, and represents the bottom three stories of a high-rise building. Two versatile six degree-of-freedom loading units are being used at the top of the walls to apply the axial compression, shear, and an overturning moment that would be expected at the third story level of the 10 story building. These loading units are capable of applying a total downward force of 9000 kN, a lateral force of 5500 kN, and an overturning moment of 4500 kN-m. They will be operated in mixed mode control such that some degrees-of-freedom are in force control and others are in displacement control. An additionally unique feature of the research program is that advanced non-contact measurement systems will be used to make dense and accurate measurements of displacement fields. These systems measure the movement at hundreds of points to an accuracy of approximately 0.01 mm and thereby provide an unprecedented level of detailed test data. This dense information is being used to advance our understanding of complex structural behavior and enables the development and validation of more reliable and comprehensive non-linear finite element analysis methods.

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