Shaking table testing of the reinforced concrete staggered slab-column structure

Abstract

In order to study the seismic performance of the reinforced concrete staggered slab-column structure, one 1/7 scaled test specimen was fabricated and tested. The acceleration response, displacement distribution, dynamic characteristics, torsion responses, failure mechanism, shear force, and strain of test specimen were measured and evaluated. Test results indicated that the natural frequency and acceleration magnification factor of the test specimen gradually reduced, while the floor shear force and torsion response gradually increased. Meanwhile, the maximum inter-story drift angle of test specimen in the elastic and elastic-plastic stage was 1/196 and 1/78, respectively, indicating that the lateral stiffness of staggered slab-column structure was relatively small. The inter-story angles of the second and fifth floors were larger than adjacent floors. It was suggested that the stiffness of the test specimen was inhomogeneously distributed due to staggered slabs and a lack of frame beams. The damage of columns between staggered slabs was obviously larger than other columns. The plastic hinges were successively observed at slab-column junctions on the first and second floor and bottom of columns. Finally, the plastic hinges at slab-column junctions lost their capacity, followed by plastic hinges at the bottom of columns, and the test specimen collapsed. The failure process of the staggered slab-column structure exhibited undesirable brittle failure mode. Based on the experimental results, several design suggestions were proposed to improve the overall seismic behavior of the staggered slab-column structure. Such comprehensive research helps enhance understanding of this newly developed type of structure.