Study on Collapse of Flexure-Shear-Critical Reinforced Concrete Frames

Abstract eng:
In order to observe the interaction of structural elements at the onset of collapse, four frame specimens are planned to be tested at the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE) in Taiwan in 2008. Each specimen consists of a half-scale model of a two-bay and two-story reinforced concrete frame. The specimens are tested under high and low gravity loads to investigate the influence of axial loads on the collapse vulnerability of the structures. These tests will also be employed to study the interaction of the beams, columns and joints as collapse is initiated. The current paper presents the blind prediction of the behavior of the frame specimens by simulating the shaking table tests using existing analytical models. Empirical capacity models were used to predict the hysteretic response of shear-critical reinforced concrete columns under gravity and seismic loading. In particular, the shear failure and axial load collapse of these columns were closely examined. The finite element program OpenSEES, developed by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center, was employed to conduct the analyses. Following the shaking table tests, the results of the blind prediction, presented in this paper, will be compared to the experimental data. This comparison will illustrate the limitations, weaknesses, and strengths of current analytical models. Such studies will lead to a better prediction of the behavior of existing reinforced concrete structures, and consequently, more cost-effective retrofit strategies.

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