Abstract
The seismic performance of RC columns could be significantly improved by continuous spiral reinforcement as a result of its adequate ductility and energy dissipation capacity. Due to post-earthquake brittle failure observations in beam-column connections, the seismic behaviour of such connections could greatly be improved by simultaneous application of this method in both beams and columns. In this study, a new proposed detail for beam to column connection introduced as “twisted opposing rectangular spiral” was experimentally and numerically investigated and its seismic performance was compared against normal rectangular spiral and conventional shear reinforcement systems. In this study, three full scale beam to column connections were first designed in conformance with Eurocode (EC2-04) for low ductility class connections and then tested by quasistatic cyclic loading recommended by ACI Building Code (ACI 318-02). Next, the experimental results were validated by numerical methods. Finally, the results revealed that the new proposed connection could improve the ultimate lateral resistance, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity.
Highlights
Incorporation of continuous spiral reinforcement in circular cross section components such as beams and columns of RC structures could improve the strength, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity of such structural members [1,2,3]
There has been an increasing trend of studies regarding the effectiveness of rectangular spiral shear reinforcement on RC structures [6,7,8,9]
The yield strength and yield strain of the reinforcement bar used in this study were 450 MPa and 0.0022, respectively, according to the results of the Universal Test conducted in Laboratory of Structures and Materials, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) (Table 2)
Summary
Incorporation of continuous spiral reinforcement in circular cross section components such as beams and columns of RC structures could improve the strength, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity of such structural members [1,2,3]. This extra length of steel will not be required in spiral reinforcement installation and the total cost will be reduced as well This benefit will become more significant in terms of RC columns where multiple stirrups per cross-section are installed plus the use of steel overlaps of stirrups [13]. Another advantage of application of spiral reinforcement would be the prevention of immature shear failure mechanism due to the continuous nature of the spirals. An experimental and numerical investigation on the behaviour of low ductility class RC beam to column connections using spiral and conventional shear reinforcement systems under seismic loading, simulated by quasistatic cyclic loading, was conducted in the Laboratory of Structures and Materials, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). The experimental results were validated with numerical results obtained from the FE Software ANSYS
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