Contribution of Lightweight Brick Infiller on Strength and Stiffness of RC Columns Under Cyclic Loading

Abstract

This study has involved testings of a series of Lightweight Brick-Infilled Columns (LBIC) with the width ranging from 50, 100, 150, and 200 mm. The column specimens have been designed with uniform cross-sectional dimensions and heights of 100×200 mm and 1000 mm, respectively. All test columns have been loaded in axial compression up to 100 kN constantly. At the same time, the horizontal lateral load has been applied following a loading pattern recommended by the ACI 374.1-05 (Reapproved 2014) using the drift control. The drift ratios applied to the column specimens have started from 3.5 percent. All LBICs have been observed for their capabilities in carrying the horizontal lateral loads, column strengths, and column stiffnesses. The results have indicated that the CL1 column could anticipate a greater earthquake load than the remaining columns. However, the CL1 column had a smaller stiffness than the CL3 column. The horizontal lateral capacity of the CL1 column has been also smaller than all other columns. The results have also showed that the stiffness of the CL3 column has been greater than all the other columns, namely CL1, CL2, CL4, and CL5.