The impact of infill wall distribution on the mechanical behavior and failure patterns of multi-story RC frame structures: An acceleration–strain coupled testing approach

Abstract

Historically, earthquakes have caused extensive damage to multi-story buildings, often leading to partial or total collapses. Nevertheless, these severely damaged structures rarely exhibit the "strong column–weak beam" failure pattern, and the performance of their vertical load-bearing components varies notably. Our study reveals that the uneven distribution of infill walls leads to divergent mechanical behaviors in columns located at different positions within the frame structure. To address this issue, an acceleration–strain coupled testing system was developed and implemented in a typical reinforced concrete (RC) frame structure of a veranda-style teaching building. This system, utilizing strong-motion seismographs for trigger acquisition, collected synchronized strain data from both columns adjacent to the veranda and those partially constrained by infill walls. Two sets of records were obtained, preliminarily confirming the internal force concentration due to the infill walls' constraints. Furthermore, the varied mechanical behaviors of components along two axes emerge as the primary factors causing significant structural damage and collapse. Based on these characteristic behaviors, quasi-static tests were conducted on frame columns, both unrestricted and partially restricted by infill walls. Results indicate that the constraining effect of the partial infill walls intensifies with deformation, markedly affecting column behavior. Notably, the load-bearing capacity, ductility, and ultimate displacement exhibited substantial differences between the two column types. The coexistence of these mechanically diverse components within the same structure leads to a sequence of failures, thereby altering the mechanisms of structural damage and collapse.