Seismic Performance and Global Ductility of Reinforced Concrete Frames with CFRP Laminates Retrofitted Joints

Abstract

Post-earthquake reconnaissance and experimental research indicate that the beam-column joint is a crucial zone in reinforced concrete (RC) moment resisting frames. Due to their exceptional mechanical properties and high strength to weight ratio, fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) are considered to be one of the most promising materials for beam-column joint retrofitting in RC structures. In this study, the efficacy of joint retrofitting in upgrading the seismic performance of RC structures is numerically investigated through displacement-based adaptive pushover and inelastic dynamic time history analyses. Four typical FRP strengthening schemes between the beam and column are investigated and the corresponding structural global ductility and seismic performance for FRP joint-retrofitted RC frames are evaluated through both the seismic behavior factor and the inter-story drift ratio. The proposed method is demonstrated by seismic behavior of an intermediate-rise RC building under earthquake forces. The numerical results indicate that the proposed retrofitting scheme can greatly improve the seismic performance and global ductility of RC buildings.