Seismic performance of 1/4-scale RC frames subjected to axial and cyclic reversed lateral loads

Abstract

This paper summarizes an experimental study on the seismic behavior of lower stories of a mid-rise reinforced concrete frame building. Two reinforced concrete frames with two stories and one span were tested and each frame represents lower two stories of an 11-story RC frame building. Both frames were designed in accordance with Japanese design guidelines and were identical except in the variation of axial force. The tests demonstrated that the overall load-displacement relations of the two frames were nearly the same and the first-story column shear was closely related to the column axial load. The columns and beams elongated during both of the tests, with the second-floor beam elongation exceeding 1.5% of the beam clear span length. The frame with higher axial loads developed more cracks that the frame under moderate axial load.