• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.383-400
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• 2024

For a conventionally repaired frame-supported-transfer-slab (FSTS) reinforced concrete (RC) structure, both the transfer slab and the beam-to-column and transfer slab-to-column joints remain vulnerable to secondary earthquakes. Aimed at improving the seismic performance of a damaged FSTS RC structure, an innovative retrofitting scheme is proposed, which adopts the sector lead rubber dampers (SLRDs) at joints after the damaged FSTS RC structure is repaired by conventional approaches. In this paper, a series of quasi-static cyclic tests was conducted on a large-scale retrofitted FSTS RC structure. The seismic performance was evaluated and the key test results, including deformation characteristics, damage pattern, hysteretic behaviour, bearing capacity and strains on key components, were reported in detail. The test results indicated that the SLRDs started to dissipate energy under the service level earthquake, and thus prevented damages on the beam-to-column and transfer slab-to-column joints during the secondary earthquakes and shifted the plastic hinges away from the beam ends. The retrofitting scheme of using SLRDs also achieved the seismic design concept of 'strong joint, weak component'. The FSTS RC structure retrofitted by the SLRDs could recover more than 85% bearing capacity of its undamaged counterpart. The hysteresis curves were featured by the inverse "S" shape, indicating good bearing capacity and hysteresis performance. The deformation capacity of the damaged FSTS RC structure retrofitted by the SLRDs met the corresponding codified requirements for the case of the maximum considered earthquake, as set out in the Chinese seismic design code. The stability of the FSTS RC structure retrofitted by the SLRDs, which was revealed by the developed stains of the RC frame and transfer slab, was improved compared with the undamaged FSTS RC structure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.443-460
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• 2016

In this paper, the efficiency and effectiveness of two strengthening methods for upgrading behavior of the two external weak reinforced concrete (RC) beam-column joints were experimentally investigated under cyclic loading. Since two deficient external RC joints with reduced beam height and low strength concrete were strengthened using one-way steel prop and curbs with and without steel revival sheets on the beam. The cyclic performance of these strengthened specimens were compared with two another control external RC beam-column joints, one the standard RC joint that had not two mentioned deficiencies and another had both. Therefore, four half-scale RC joints were tested under cyclic loading.The experimental results showed that these innovative strengthening methods (RC joint with revival sheet specially) surmounted the deficiencies of weak RC joints and upgraded their performance and bearing capacity, stiffness degradation, energy absorption, up to those of standard RC joint. Also, results exhibited that the prop at joint acted as a fuse element due to adding steel revival sheets on the RC beam and showed better behavior than that of the specimen without steel revival sheets. In other words by stiffening of beam, the prop collected all damages due to cyclic loading at itself and acted as the first line of defense and prevented from sever damages at RC joint.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.313-328
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• 2016

Beam-column joints are recognized as one of the most critical and vulnerable zones of a Reinforced Concrete (RC) moment resisting structure subjected to seismic loads. The performance of the deficient beam-column joints can be improved by retrofitting these joints by jacketing them with varied materials like concrete, steel, FRP and ferrocement. In the present study strength behavior of RCC exterior beam-column joints, initially loaded to a prefixed percentage of the ultimate load, and retrofitted using ferrocement jacketing using two different wrapping schemes has been studied and presented. In retrofitting scheme, RS-I, wire mesh is provided in L shape at top and at bottom of the beam-column joint, whereas, in scheme RS-II along with wire mesh in L shape at top and bottom wire mesh is also provided diagonally to the joint. The results of these retrofitted beam-column joints have been compared with those of the controlled joint specimens. The results show an improvement in the ultimate load carrying capacity and yield load of the retrofitted specimens. However, no improvement in the ductility and energy absorption has been observed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.473-490
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• 2015

This paper presents the analysis of intermediate crack-induced (IC) debonding failure loads for reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with adhesively-bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) plates or sheets. The analysis consists of the energy release and simple ACI methods. In the energy release method, a fracture criterion is employed to predict the debonding loads. The interfacial fracture energy that indicates the resistance to debonding is related to the bond-slip relationships obtained from the shear test of FRP-to-concrete bonded joints. The section analysis that considers the effect of concrete's tension stiffening is employed to develop the moment-curvature relationships of the FRP-strengthened sections. In the ACI method, the onset of debonding is assumed when the FRP strain reaches the debonding strain limit. The tension stiffening effect is neglected in developing a moment-curvature relationship. For a comparison purpose, both methods are used to numerically investigate the effects of relevant parameters on the IC debonding failure loads. The results show that the debonding failure load generally increases as the concrete compressive strength, FRP reinforcement ratio, FRP elastic modulus and steel reinforcement ratio increase.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 2019

In this study, a well-established model and a new simplified version of it, that help avoid collapses in reinforced concrete structures during strong earthquakes, are presented and discussed. Using this model, the initial formation of plastic hinges and the final concentration of the damages only in beams are accurately assured. The model also assures that the columns and the beam-column joints can remain intact. This model can be applied for the design of modern R/C structures, as well as for the design of strengthening schemes of old R/C structures by the use of reinforced concrete jackets. The model can also predict the form of earthquake damages in old structures but also earthquake damages in the modern structures.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.419-432
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• 2023

Beam-column joints are a critical component of reinforced concrete frame structures. They are responsible for transferring forces between adjoining beams and columns while limiting story drifts and maintaining structural integrity. During severe loading, beam-column joints deform significantly, affecting, and sometimes governing, the overall response of frame structures. While most failure modes for beam and column elements are commonly considered in plastic-hinge-based global frame analyses, the beam-column joint failure modes, such as concrete shear and reinforcement bond slip, are frequently omitted. One reason for this is the dearth of published guidance on what type of hinges to use, how to derive the joint hinge properties, and where to place these hinges. Many beam-column joint models are available in literature but their adoption by practicing structural engineers has been limited due to their complex nature and lack of practical application tools. The objective of this study is to provide a comparative review of the available beam-column joint models and present a practical joint modeling approach for integration into commonly used global frame analysis software. The presented modeling approach uses rotational spring models and is capable of modeling both interior and exterior joints with or without transverse reinforcement. A spreadsheet tool is also developed to execute the mathematical calculations and derive the shear stress-strain and moment-rotation curves ready for inputting into the global frame analysis. The application of the approach is presented by modeling a beam column joint specimen which was tested experimentally. Important modeling considerations are also presented to assist practitioners in properly modeling beam-column joints in frame analyses.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 1995.04a
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• pp.339-344
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• 1995

In the design of ductile moment-resisting frames (DMRFs) following the strong column-weak beam dsign philosophy, it is desirable that the joint and column remain essentially elastic in order to insure proper energy dissipation and lateral stability of the structure. The joint has been identified as the "weak link" in DMRFs because any stiffness or strength deterioration in this region can lead to substantial drifts and the possibility of collapse due to P-delta effects. Moreover, the engineer is faced with the difficult task of detailing an element whose size is determined by the framing members, but which must resist a set of loads very different from those used in the design of the beams and columns. Four 2/3-scale beam-column-slab joint assemblies were designed according to existing code requirements of ACI 318-89, representing interior joints of DMRFs with reinforced high strength concrete. The influence on aseismic behavior of beam-column joints due to monolithic slab, has been investigated.estigated.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.35-52
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• 1999

Realistic steel-concrete bond/slip relationships proposed in the literature are usually uniaxial. They are based on phenomenological theories of deformation and degradation mechanisms, and various pull-out tests. These relationships are usually implemented using different analytical methods for solving the differential equations of bond along the anchored portion, for particular situations. This paper justifies the concepts, and points out the assumptions underlying the construction and use of uniaxial bond laws. A finite element implementation is proposed using 2-D membrane elements. An application example on an interior beam-column joint illustrates the possibilities of this approach.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1083-1096
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• 2016

Beam-column joints are recognized as the weak points of reinforcement concrete frames. The ductility of reinforced concrete (RC) frames during severe earthquakes can be measured through the dissipation of large energy in beam-column joint. Retrofitting and rehabilitating structures through proper methods, such as carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), are required to prevent casualties that result from the collapse of earthquake-damaged structures. The main challenge of this issue is identifying the effect of CFRP on the occurrence of failure in the joint of a cross section with normal ductility. The present study evaluates the retrofitting method for a normal ductile beam-column joint using CFRP under monotonic and cyclic loads. Thus, the finite element model of a cross section with normal ductility and made of RC is developed, and CFRP is used to retrofit the joints. This study considers three beam-column joints: one with partial CFRP wrapping, one with full CFRP wrapping, and one with normal ductility. The two cases with partial and full CFRP wrapping in the beam-column joints are used to determine the effect of retrofitting with CFRP wrapping sheets on the behavior of the beam-column joint confined by such sheets. All the models are subjected to monotonic and cyclic loading. The final capacity and hysteretic results of the dynamic analysis are investigated. A comparison of the dissipation energy graphs of the three connections shows significant enhancement in the models with partial and full CFRP wrapping. An analysis of the load-displacement curves indicates that the stiffness of the specimens is enhanced by CFRP sheets. However, the models with both partial and full CFRP wrapping exhibited no considerable improvement in terms of energy dissipation and stiffness.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.3
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• pp.281-292
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• 2022

This study aimed to analyze the dynamic punching shear performance of slab-column joints under cyclic loads with the use of double-hooked end (5D) steel fibers. Structural systems such as slab-column joints are widely found in infrastructures. The susceptibility to collapse of such structures when submitted to seismic loads is highly dependent on the structural performance of the slab-column connections. For this reason, the punching capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) structures has been the subject of a great number of studies. Steel fibers are used to achieve a certain degree of ductility under seismic loads. In this context, 5D steel hooked fibers provide high levels of fiber anchoring, tensile strength and ductility. However, only limited research has been carried out on the performance under cyclic loads of concrete structural members containing steel fibers. This study covers this gap with experimental testing of five different full-scale subassemblies of RC slab-column joints: one without punching reinforcement, one with conventional punching reinforcement and three with 5D steel fibers. The subassemblies were tested under cyclic loading, which consisted of applying increasing lateral displacement cycles, such as in seismic situations, with a constant axial load on the column. This set of cycles was repeated for increasing axial loads on the column until failure. The results showed that 5D steel fiber subassemblies: i) had a greater capacity to dissipate energy, ii) improved punching shear strength and stiffness degradation under cyclic loads; and iii) increased cyclic loading capacity.