Shake-Table Testing of Non-Ductile RC Frames As-Built and Retrofitted With Gfrp Laminates and Slab-Weakening

Abstract eng:
To investigate the response of non-ductile reinforced concrete (RC) frame buildings under earthquake ground motions, before and after retrofit, a series of uni-directional shake-table experiments was carried out at the University of Canterbury. The 2/5 scale, 3-storey, 2-by-1 bay specimen was tested as-built, as-built/repaired, and retrofitted with Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) laminates and weakening of the floor slabs, following a partial retrofit strategy. The as-built specimen was subjected to a single short duration motion at increasing amplitudes. The as-built/repaired and retrofitted specimens were tested using two different input motions with as-recorded amplitudes only, with relatively short and long durations, respectively. The experimental results showed that the as-built specimen remained essentially elastic during the first test and developed a column lap-splices failure in the top floor during the third and most demanding test. The asbuilt/repaired specimen experienced very little damage during the first test and severe damage in first floor exterior beam column joints (b-c joints) and interior columns during the second. The retrofitted specimen showed no damage during the first experiment and large flexural cracking in the beams of exterior b-c joints of the first two floors during the second one. This paper briefly presents the features of the experimental model and the developed retrofit solution. It also summarizes some of the results with emphasis on the impact of the input duration on the magnitude of the response and the intensity of the damage experienced by the structure.

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