Development and validation of a metallic haunch seismic retrofit solution for existing under‐designed RC frame buildings

The feasibility and efficiency of a seismic retrofit solution for existing reinforced concrete frame systems, designed before the introduction of modern seismic‐oriented design codes in the mid 1970s, is conceptually presented and experimentally investigated. A diagonal metallic haunch system is introduced at the beam–column connections to protect the joint panel zone from extensive damage and brittle shear mechanisms, while inverting the hierarchy of strength within the beam–column subassemblies and forming a plastic hinge in the beam. A complete step‐by‐step design procedure is suggested for the proposed retrofit strategy to achieve the desired reversal of strength hierarchy. Analytical formulations of the internal force flow at the beam–column‐joint level are derived for the retrofitted joints. The study is particularly focused on exterior beam–column joints, since it is recognized that they are the most vulnerable, due to their lack of a reliable joint shear transfer mechanism. Results from an experimental program carried out to validate the concept and the design procedure are also presented. The program consisted of quasi‐static cyclic tests on four exterior, ? scaled, beam–column joint subassemblies, typical of pre‐1970 construction practice using plain round bars with end‐hooks, with limited joint transverse reinforcement and detailed without capacity design considerations. The first (control specimen) emulated the as‐built connection while the three others incorporated the proposed retrofitted configurations. The experimental results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed solution for upgrading non‐seismically designed RC frames and also confirmed the applicability of the proposed design procedure and of the analytical derivations. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improving integrity of RC beam-column joints with deficient beam rebar anchorage

In recent earthquakes in developing countries, severe damage was observed on reinforced concrete buildings. This study focuses on exterior beam-column joints with substandard beam rebar anchorage and seismic strengthening by installing wing walls. First, a series of experiments was conducted to investigate the seismic behavior of exterior joints with substandard beam rebar anchorage representing typical Bangladeshi buildings. Two 0.7-scaled exterior joint specimens were tested, and these specimens showed beam rebar anchorage failure and/or joint shear failure. Prior to strengthening of the joint, a series of pullout tests was conducted on postinstalled bonded anchors in low-strength concrete for strengthening design. Then, an experiment was performed to apply the strengthening method by wing walls to one of the exterior joint specimens to improve the integrity, and this method was intended to prevent the failure of beam rebar anchorage. The strengthening method is proposed to extend the development length of beam longitudinal bars by considering the embedment length along the wing walls. The test results verified the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed strengthening method to upgrade exterior RC beam-column joints with deficient beam rebar anchorage.     

Retrofit of non-seismically designed beam-column joints by post-tensioned superelastic shape memory alloy bars

A series of tests on three full-scale substandard exterior beam-column joints were performed to investigate the efficiency of the proposed retrofit configuration, which is the use of externally applied post-tensioned shape memory alloy (SMA) bars. A major group of structural deficiencies resulting from lack of shear reinforcement in the joint, use of low strength concrete and plain round bars were taken into account in the construction of test specimens. While the reference specimen represents the as-built subassembly, the other two were retrofitted by the post-tensioned SMA and steel bars to compare the contribution of superelastic and conventional material on the response. The specimens were exposed to quasi-static cyclic loading up to 8% drift ratio to simulate an intensive level of seismic hazard. The reference specimen underwent a brittle shear failure as excessive cracks mostly concentrated in the joint panel while there was almost no damage in the rest of the RC components. A joint failure with enhanced response quantities was observed in the specimen retrofitted by post-tensioned steel bars. The specimen incorporating the retrofit solution via post-tensioned SMA bars was capable of performing an adequate performance and promoting minimization of the damage in the joint panel, which results in more ductile behavior. The hysteretic response of the SMA retrofitted specimen was validated with a refined numerical model in ATENA Science software. Experimentally observed response was also verified by an analytical model based on fracture mechanics considering the nonlinear behavior of plain concrete under tension. Due to inherent uncertainties in material constitutive laws, the analytical model was evolved to a stochastic level to propose a more advanced model for estimating the capacity of the reference and retrofitted joint. It is found that the experimental results were within the prominent range of Probability Density Functions (i.e. mean ± 1 SD) of the estimated joint tensile stress especially for the shear damaged specimens.     

Seismic strengthening of existing RC beam‐column joints by wing walls

Numerous non‐ductile reinforced concrete (RC) buildings with little or no shear reinforcement in beam‐column joints can be found in regions of moderate seismicity. To strengthen such substandard beam‐column joints, this study proposes a method in which RC wing walls are installed beside existing columns, which overcomes the lack of realistic strengthening methods for congested connections in RC buildings. The proposed strengthening mechanism improves the joint moment capacity by utilizing tension and compression acting on the beam–wing wall boundaries; thus, brittle joint hinging failure is prevented. Three 3/4‐scale RC exterior beam‐column joint specimens without shear reinforcement, two of which were strengthened by installing wing walls with different strengthening elements, were fabricated and tested. The test results verified the effectiveness of the proposed strengthening method and the applicability of this method to seismically substandard beam‐column joints. © 2017 The Authors. Earthquake Engineering & Structural Dynamics Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Cyclic behaviour of interior beam–column joints reinforced with plain bars

The seismic damages commonly observed on beam–column joints of old reinforced concrete structures, built with plain bars and without proper detailing, justifies the need to further study the behaviour of this type of structures. The response of these structures when loaded cyclically, as occurs during the earthquakes, is partially controlled by the bond properties between the reinforcing bars and the surrounding concrete. This paper presents the results of an experimental campaign of unidirectional cyclic tests carried out on six full‐scale beam–column joints built with plain bars. These joint specimens are representative of existing reinforced concrete structures, that is, built without adequate reinforcement detailing for seismic demands. For comparison, an additional specimen is built with deformed bars and tested. The seven specimens are designed and detailed to allow the investigation of the influence of bond properties, lapping of the longitudinal bars in columns and beams, bent‐up bars in the beams, slab contribution and concrete strength. The lateral force–drift relationships, global dissipated energy evolution, contribution of the joint, beams and columns to the global dissipated energy, ductility, equivalent damping, final damage observed, homogenized reinforced concrete damage index, displacement components, curvature evolutions and Eurocode requirements are presented and discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rehabilitation of earthquake damaged external RC beam‐column joints by joint enlargement using prestressed steel angles

The effectiveness of a rehabilitation method based on joint enlargement using prestressed steel angles to enhance the seismic behavior of damaged external reinforced concrete beam‐column joints was experimentally investigated. Three half‐scale joints having either non‐seismic or seismic reinforcement details were tested both before and after rehabilitation by applying lateral cyclic loading of increasing amplitudes. Two defects were considered for the two non‐seismic units, being the absence of transverse steel hoops and insufficient bond capacity of beam bottom steel reinforcing bars in the joint panel zone. The damaged specimens were rehabilitated by injecting epoxy grout into existing cracks and installing stiffened steel angles at the re‐entrant corners of the beam‐column joint, both above and below the beam, that were mounted and held in place using prestressed high‐tensile strength bars. The test results indicated that the seismic performance of the rehabilitated specimens in terms of strength, stiffness, and ductility was fully recovered and comparable with the performance of the seismically detailed specimen. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of RC slab–beam–column sub‐assemblages subjected to bidirectional lateral cyclic loading using a new 3D macroelement

An existing two‐dimensional macroelement for reinforced concrete beam–column joints is extended to a three‐dimensional macroelement. The three‐dimensional macroelement for beam–column joints consists of six rigid interface plates and uniaxial springs for concrete, steel, and bond–slip, which model the inside of a beam–column joint. The mechanical models for the materials and the stiffness equation for the springs are also presented. To validate the model, we used test results from three slab–beam–column sub‐assemblages subjected to bi‐lateral cyclic load. It is revealed that the new joint model is capable of capturing the strength of beam–column joints and the bidirectional interaction in joint shear response, including the concentration of damage in the beam–column joint, the pinching nature in hysteretic behavior, the stiffness degradation, and strength deterioration resulting from cyclic and bidirectional loading. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Local retrofit of exterior RC beam–column joints using thin RC jackets—An experimental study

The use of a new type of reinforced concrete (RC) jacket for RC exterior beam–column connections damaged by seismic excitations is addressed and experimentally investigated. The proposed jacket has very small thickness and includes small diameter steel reinforcement. This jacketing applies at the joint region and at a small part of the columns and the beam. The main advantage of the proposed thin and locally applied jacket compared with the commonly used concrete jacket is the fact that its application is not restrained by space limitations, and since it slightly changes the initial size of the elements, the building's dynamics and seismic behaviour remain practically unaffected. For the needs of this study, 10 exterior beam–column joint subassemblages were constructed and subjected to increasing cyclic loading. Later, the damaged specimens were locally retrofitted using the proposed thin RC jackets and they were retested with the same load sequence. Three different specimen configurations with various amounts of shear reinforcement in the joint area were examined and two types of jackets (a) with light and (b) with dense reinforcement were applied. Test results indicated that the seismic performance of the retrofitted specimens was fully restored and in some cases substantially improved with respect to the performance of the same specimens in the initial loading, since they exhibited higher values of load capacity and hysteretic energy dissipation. Discussion for the conditions of the use of the examined jacketing technique either as a repair or as a strengthening method is also included. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

UHTCC新型梁柱节点抗震性能试验研究

为研究超高韧性水泥基材料新型梁柱节点的抗震性能,进行了6榀缩尺比例为1/2的框架中节点的低周反复载荷试验,对不同轴压比和体积配箍率下梁柱节点的受力特点、裂缝开展形式、滞回特性进行了研究。结果表明,超高韧性水泥基材料能明显改善节点核心区的抗裂性能和剪切延性,具有更好的耗能能力,可部分或全部替代节点处箍筋的抗剪作用,具有良好的经济效益。     

Modelling exterior unreinforced beam‐column joints in seismic analysis of non‐ductile RC frames

The seismic response of non‐ductile reinforced concrete (RC) buildings can be affected by the behaviour of beam‐column joints involved in the failure mechanism, especially in typical existing buildings. Conventional modelling approaches consider only beam and column flexibility, although joints can provide a significant contribution also to the overall frame deformability. In this study, the attention is focused on exterior joints without transverse reinforcement, and a possible approach to their modelling in nonlinear seismic analysis of RC frames is proposed. First, experimental tests performed by the authors are briefly presented, and their results are discussed. Second, these tests, together with other tests with similar features from literature, are employed to calibrate the joint panel deformability contribution in order to reproduce numerically the experimental joint shear stress–strain behaviour under cyclic loading. After a validation phase of this proposal, a numerical investigation of the influence of joints on the seismic behaviour of a case study RC frame – designed for gravity loads only – is performed. The preliminary failure mode classification of the joints within the analysed frame is carried out. Structural models that (i) explicitly include nonlinear behaviour of beam‐column joints exhibiting shear or anchorage failure or (ii) model joints as elements with infinite strength and stiffness are built and their seismic performance are assessed and compared. A probabilistic assessment based on nonlinear dynamic simulations is performed by means of a scaling approach to evaluate the seismic response at different damage states accounting for uncertainties in ground‐motion records. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

CFRP加固一字形竖缝耗能预制剪力墙抗震性能研究

以一字形竖缝耗能预制剪力墙作为研究对象,设计了3个装配式剪力墙试件及1个现浇剪力墙对比试件,进行低周往复荷载试验,并对破坏墙体进行CFRP加固,再次进行拟静力试验。试件变化参数包括轴压比、混凝土强度等级及配筋率,对比分析加固前后试件滞回性能、刚度退化、承载力和耗能能力等性能。试验结果表明,与现浇剪力墙相比,一字形竖缝耗能预制剪力墙工作性能良好,阻尼器屈服耗能提高了试件整体工作性能;CFRP加固可有效抑制墙体斜裂缝的发展,对墙体承载力及耗能能力均有显著改善作用;各试件均满足剪力墙弹塑性层间位移角限值要求,延性较好;试件整体表现出良好的抗震性能。     

钢筋混凝土框架角节点抗剪强度试验研究

通过对6个钢筋混凝土框架梁柱角节点在低周反复荷载作用下的试验,调查了高强度节点箍筋、双向加载等对节点强度的影响。试验结果证明,节点强度试验值为规范设计值的85%左右,设计式应导入强度降低系数。高强度箍筋对节点强度提高影响很小,在节点强度设计时可忽略不计。双向加载的节点强度只有单向加载时的80%,节点抗震设计时角节点应作为所有边节点中最不利情况考虑。楼板虽然可以提高梁的强度及刚度,但对角节点强度及最大荷载后的节点延性有不利影响。     

腹板摩擦式钢框架节点震后可更换性能的试验研究

主要针对梁腹板带有摩擦耗能螺栓的自复位钢框架节点结构进行抗震性能和可更换性能的试验研究,探讨该类节点在往复荷载作用下的滞回性能以及节点域的变形特征。在参数选型的基础上,对5组钢框架节点试件进行了低周反复荷载作用下的拟静力试验,其中:4组试件具有自复位能力,分析了各试件的承载力、刚度、耗能性能和滞回特性等性能。综合研究结果表明:所提出的拼接节点能够利用摩擦螺栓的滑移提高节点的耗能能力,有效减少梁和柱主体构件的损伤,同时预应力筋提供了结构的自复位能力。试验结果表明:在地震作用之后,通过更换腹板及摩擦螺栓可以使结构的承载能力和耗能性能与震前基本一致,从而实现结构功能的快速恢复。     

Failure simulation of shear‐critical RC columns with non‐ductile detailing under lateral load

Reinforced concrete columns with non‐ductile detailing typically exhibit a softening behavior characterized by severe degradation when subjected to cyclic lateral loads. Whether the response is brittle or ductile, shear failure occurs with an inclined through crack along which sliding occurs coupled with loss of horizontal and vertical load‐bearing capacity of the member. The rapid loss of resistance after the peak strength is reached is because of one or more of the following local failure mechanisms: brittle failure of poorly confined concrete; buckling of longitudinal reinforcing bars because of lack of adequate transverse reinforcement or following opening of stirrups after spalling of cover concrete; bond failure. In this study, a modeling strategy to build a detailed 3D finite element model capable of capturing all of the above‐mentioned local failure mechanisms is presented. In particular, a steel–concrete interface model for representing the interaction within the member between concrete core, cover and longitudinal and transverse reinforcement is proposed. Comparison with results of an experimental test of a shear‐sensitive column demonstrates the effectiveness of the simulation up to failure of the element. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

预制预应力混凝土拼装框架梁柱节点抗震性能研究

针对采用预应力钢筋进行干式连接的预制预应力混凝土拼装框架梁柱节点进行抗震性能研究。设计制作了一组节点试件,对其进行低周往复加载试验和数值分析,观测节点变形与破坏特征,得到试件梁端力-位移滞回曲线,分析节点承载力、耗能水平与变形能力。结果表明：通过接缝开合可在较小位移下控制构件的损伤程度,破坏模式以柱端牛腿压剪破坏为主;与现浇混凝土梁柱节点相比,该节点具有良好的变形能力和自复位特征,但是节点整体耗能能力较低;采用简化的基于多折线骨架曲线的本构模型可以对节点的力学性能进行简化等效模拟。     

装配式钢筋混凝土框架节点抗震性能试验研究

通过对2个新型装配式混凝土框架节点和1个现浇混凝土框架节点进行拟静力试验研究,对比分析装配式混凝土框架节点破坏特征、滞回曲线、骨架曲线、刚度退化和耗能能力等指标。研究结果表明:新型装配式混凝土框架节点比普通现浇混凝土框架节点具有较好的滞回性能,较高的耗能能力以及较缓的刚度退化。在满足梁筋锚固长度要求的前提下,预制梁内钢端头长度增加使框架节点抗震性能稍有提高。装配部分后浇混凝土可以提高框架节点的承载能力和刚度。采用ABAQUS有限元软件对节点进行数值模拟,发现模拟结果与试验结果吻合较好。     

Strengthening and rehabilitation of RC beam–column joints using carbon‐FRP jacketing and epoxy resin injection

The scope of this study is to present results of an experimental investigation on the behaviour of critical external beam–column joints repaired or/and strengthened with a combination of epoxy resin injections and carbon‐fibre‐reinforced plastics (C‐FRP) sheets and to extract useful and practical conclusions. The experimental program comprises 12 external beam–column joint connection subassemblages tested in cyclic loading. From the observed responses of the examined specimens it can be deduced that the technique of epoxy resin injections is appropriate for the total rehabilitation of the joints seismic capacity, since no damages have been observed at the joint area of the specimens after the repair. The combination of this technique with the use of C‐FRP sheets leads to a significant improvement of the loading capacity, the energy absorption and the ductility and finally it leads to improved type of damages compared with the damage modes of the specimens during the initial loading. Shortcomings of the application of C‐FRP sheets for practical use are also pointed out. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nonlinear modeling of cyclic response of RC beam–column joints reinforced by plain bars

Experience of previous earthquakes shows that a considerable portion of buildings reinforced with plain bars sustain relatively large damages especially at the beam–column joints where the damages are mostly caused by either diagonal shear cracks or intersectional cracks caused by bar slippage. While previous works mainly focus on shear failure mode, in this study, the emphasis is placed on slip based cracks as the dominant failure mode. A systematic procedure is introduced to predict the dominant failure mode at the joint which is based on the dimensional properties, reinforcement details, and axial and shear load at the joint. In addition, a relatively simple and efficient nonlinear model is proposed to simulate pre- and post-elastic behavior of the joints which fail under bar slippage mode. In this model, beam and column components are represented by linear elastic elements, dimensions of the joint panel are defined by rigid elements, and effect of slip is taken into account by a nonlinear rotational spring at the end of the beam. The proposed method is validated by experimental results for both internal and external joints .     

Large‐scale seismic tests of tall concrete bridge columns with precast segmental construction

Past experimental studies have shown that existing precast segmental concrete bridge columns possess unsatisfactory hysteretic energy dissipation capacity, which is an undesirable feature for applications in seismic regions. In this research, we propose new methods of precast segment construction for tall concrete bridge columns to enhance the columns' hysteretic energy dissipation capacity and lateral strength. This is accomplished by adding bonded mild steel reinforcing bars across the segment joints, strengthening the joint at the base of the column and increasing the height of the base segment (hinge segment). Four large‐scale column specimens were fabricated and tested with lateral cyclic loading in the laboratory. Each specimen consisted of a foundation and 9 or 10 precast column segments. Test results of specimens with the proposed design concepts showed ductile behavior and satisfactory hysteretic energy dissipation capacity. In addition to the experimental study, an analytical study using the finite element method was conducted to understand the bond conditions, strain contours and deformation patterns of the specimens tested. Good agreement was found between the experimental observations and the results of the calibrated analytical study. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

聚丙烯纤维增强异形柱边节点的抗震性能研究

通过3个聚丙烯纤维增强混凝土异形柱边节点和1个普通混凝土异形柱边节点的低周反复荷载试验,对比研究了聚丙烯纤维增强对混凝土异形柱节点抗震性能的影响。结果表明:采用聚丙烯纤维增强可以提高节点的开裂荷载和变形能力,减小核心区内裂缝的数量和宽度,延缓构件的刚度退化,减轻节点的累积损伤程度,有效改善节点的破坏形态,有利于节点抗震。