Performance of Beam-to-Column Connection of a Well-Detailed RC Moment Frame Building under Pseudodynamic Loading

Abstract

The performance of RC frame members under earthquake loading may differ significantly from that of the frame. Even if the story drifts are not significant, a collapse mechanism may be observed because of extensive deformations in the beams, columns, or joints. Therefore, the seismic performance of each member should be investigated independently from that of the frame. In this experimental research, the seismic performance of one exterior and one interior beam-to-column connection region of a one-half–scale 3-story, three-bay RC frame is studied. The RC moment resisting frame building is designed following the code recommendations and earthquake excitations with different intensities applied sequentially to the frame by pseudodynamic testing method. At the end of the tests, under high seismic loads, the strength of members was exceeded, and a collapse mechanism formed. The joint shear distortions were significant for even the basic safety earthquake level, when soft soil conditions are present. In this experimental study, both the individual member responses and the performance of the frame are examined for earthquake loadings with different probabilities of exceedance. The interaction between the beam and joint responses, the effect of connection performance on the seismic behavior of the frame, and the influence of different soil conditions are also investigated.