• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.57-64
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• 2022

As earthquakes have increased in Korea recently, people are paying attention to the seismic performance of buildings built in the past. Many school buildings in Korea were built based on standard drawings before the seismic design was applied. However, since school buildings are often designated as emergency evacuation facilities in case of disasters such as earthquakes, seismic evaluation and retrofit must be done quickly. This study investigated the failure modes among structural components (beams, columns, and joints), focusing on 1980s standard drawings for school buildings. The effects of column axial force, partial masonry infills, and different material strengths for concrete and rebar were considered for detailed evaluation. As a result, most of the joints were found to be the weakest among structural components. Column axial forces tended to make the joints more vulnerable, and partial masonry infills increased the possibility of joint failure and shear failure in columns.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.861-875
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• 2014

This paper studies the response of seismic behavior of reinforced concrete exterior beam-column joints under reversal loading with different anchorages and joint core details. The joint core was detailed without much confinement (group-I) and/or with proposed X-cross bars in the core (group-II). The beam longitudinal reinforcement's anchorages were designed as per ACI 352 (headed bars), ACI 318 (conventional $90^{\circ}$ bent hooks) and IS 456 ($90^{\circ}$ bent hooks with extended tails). The nonlinear finite element analysis response of the beam-column joints was studied, along with initial and progressive cracks up to failure. The experimental and analytical results were compared and presented in this paper to make more scientific conclusions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2009

Hong Kong is now recognized as an area of moderate seismic hazard, but most of the buildings have been designed with no seismic provision. It is of great significance to develop effective and practical measures to retrofit existing buildings against moderate seismic attacks. Researches show that beam-column joints are critical structural elements to be retrofitted for seismic resistance for reinforced concrete frame structures. This paper explores the possibility of using a Hydraulic Displacement Amplification Damping System (HDADS), which can be easily installed at the exterior of beam-column joints, to prevent structural damage against moderate seismic attacks. A series of shaking table tests were carried out with a 1/3 prototype steel frame have been carried out to assess the performance of the HDADS. A Numerical model representing the HDADS is developed. It is also used in numerical simulation of the shaking table tests. The numerical model of the HDADS and the numerical simulation of the shaking table tests are verified by experimental results.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.283-296
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• 2023

This paper presents experimental and numerical studies of seismic performance on reinforced concrete (RC) wide beam (WB) joints. Two RC-WB joint specimens and one conventional RC joint specimen were fabricated using the reinforcing details of longitudinal reinforcing bars in a beam as a variable, and quasi-static cyclic loading tests were performed. The results were used to compare and analyze the load-drift ratio relationship, failure mode, and seismic performance of the specimens quantitatively. In addition, a finite element (FE) analysis of the RC-WB joint was conducted, and the rationality of the FE model was validated by comparing it with the test results. Based on the FE model, a parametric study was conducted, where the ratio of longitudinal reinforcing bars placed on the outer and inner parts of the joint (𝜌_ex/𝜌_in) was a key variable. The results showed that, in the RC-WB joint, an increase of 𝜌_ex/𝜌_in leads to more severe damage to concrete, which reduces the seismic performance of the RC-WB joints.

• 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.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.375-388
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• 2017

Prior to modern seismic provisions, several bridges were not designed for seismic actions in moderate seismic areas. Precast multi-girder and slab bridges are typical highway overpass structures; they have a significant contribution to national bridge stocks. Since the seismic behavior is questionable, a preliminary parametric study is conducted to determine critical configurations and components. The results indicate that the behavior of the abutments, backfill soil, superstructure and foundation is normally satisfactory; however, the superstructure-abutment joints are critical for both single- and multi-span bridges, while the piers are also critical for longer multi-span configurations. The parametric results provide a solid basis both for detailed seismic assessment and development of design concepts of newly built structures in moderate seismic zones.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.665-679
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• 2015

The strain rate of reinforced concrete (RC) structures stimulated by earthquake action has been generally recognized as in the range from $10^{-4}/s$ to $10^{-1}/s$. Because both concrete and steel reinforcement are rate-sensitive materials, the RC beam-column joints are bound to behave differently under different strain rates. This paper describes an investigation of seismic behavior of RC beam-column joints which are subjected to large cyclic displacements on the beam ends with three loading velocities, i.e., 0.4 mm/s, 4 mm/s and 40 mm/s respectively. The levels of strain rate on the joint core region are correspondingly estimated to be $10^{-5}/s$, $10^{-4}/s$, and $10^{-2}/s$. It is aimed to better understand the effect of strain rates on seismic behavior of beam-column joints, such as the carrying capacity and failure modes as well as the energy dissipation. From the experiments, it is observed that with the increase of loading velocity or strain rate, damage in the joint core region decreases but damage in the plastic hinge regions of adjacent beams increases. The energy absorbed in the hysteresis loops under higher loading velocity is larger than that under quasi-static loading. It is also found that the yielding load of the joint is almost independent of the loading velocity, and there is a marginal increase of the ultimate carrying capacity when the loading velocity is increased for the ranges studied in this work. However, under higher loading velocity the residual carrying capacity after peak load drops more rapidly. Additionally, the axial compression ratio has little effect on the shear carrying capacity of the beam-column joints, but with the increase of loading velocity, the crack width of concrete in the joint zone becomes narrower. The shear carrying capacity of the joint at higher loading velocity is higher than that calculated with the quasi-static method proposed by the design code. When the dynamic strengths of materials, i.e., concrete and reinforcement, are directly substituted into the design model of current code, it tends to be insufficiently safe.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.429-449
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• 2013

Current Design Codes for Reinforced Concrete (RC) interior beam-column joints are based on limited experimental studies on the seismic behavior of eccentric joints. To supplement existing information, an experimental study was conducted that focused on the effect of eccentricity of the deeper beams with respect to the shallow beams. A total of eight one-third scale interior joints with beams of different depths were subjected to reverse cyclic loading. The primary variables in the test specimens were the amount of joint transverse reinforcement and the cross section of the shallow beams. The overall performance of each test assembly was found to be unsatisfactory in terms of joint shear strength, stiffness, energy dissipation and shear deformation. The results indicated that the vertical eccentricity of spandrel beams in this type of joint led to lower capacity in joint shear strength and severe damage of concrete in the joint core. Increasing the joint shear reinforcement was not effective to alter the failure mode from joint shear failure to beam yielding which is favorable for earthquake resistance design, whereas it was effective to reduce the crack width at the small loading stages. Based on the observed behavior, the shear stress of the joint core was suggested to be kept as low as possible for a safe and practical design of this type of joint.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 1999.04a
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• pp.119-126
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• 1999

The objective of this task is to develop seismic design and capacity detailing recommendations for all portions of bridge piers that do not participate as primary energy dissipation elements. particular emphasis is given to the design requirements of cap beams and their connections of multi-column bridge pier bents. By prestressing the joints it is possible to ensure the joints remain elastic. Prestress enhances the bond and anchorage of the longitudinal column bars and also minimizes or avoids diagonal shear cracking in the joints.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.443-455
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• 2009

The use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement in concrete structures has been on the rise due to its advantages over conventional steel reinforcement such as corrosion. Reinforcing steel corrosion has been the primary cause of deterioration of reinforced concrete (RC) structures, resulting in tremendous annual repair costs. One application of FRP reinforcement to be further explored is its use in RC frames. Nonetheless, due to FRP's inherently elastic behavior, FRP-reinforced (FRP-RC) members exhibit low ductility and energy dissipation as well as different damage mechanisms. Furthermore, current design standards for FRP-RC structures do not address seismic design in which the beam-column joint is a key issue. During an earthquake, the safety of beam-column joints is essential to the whole structure integrity. Thus, research is needed to gain better understanding of the behavior of FRP-RC structures and their damage mechanisms under seismic loading. In this study, two full-scale beam-column joint specimens reinforced with steel and GFRP configurations were tested under quasi-static loading. The control steel-reinforced specimen was detailed according to current design code provisions. The GFRP-RC specimen was detailed in a similar scheme. The damage in the two specimens is characterized to compare their performance under simulated seismic loading.