Title: Experimental Study of Nonplanar Wall-to-Beam Connections under Cyclic Loading

Author(s): Saman Abdullah, Nagi Abo-Shadi, and David Naish

Publication: Structural Journal

Volume: 113

Issue: 4

Appears on pages(s): 355-664

Keywords: connections; punching shear; reversed cyclic loading; structural walls

DOI: 10.14359/51688745

Date: 7/1/2016

Abstract:
Studies of seismic behavior of nonplanar wall-to-beam joints are limited in the available literature. Furthermore, ACI 318-14 provisions are incomprehensive with regard to seismic detailing of these joints. The common practice is to provide a concealed column and/or a concealed beam where a gravity beam frames into the web of a structural wall. This research is meant to assess the performance of these joints and the impact of concealed columns on the overall performance of these joints. To accomplish these objectives, three half-scale reinforced concrete (RC) interior beam-wall joints were tested under quasi-static cyclic loading. Test results show that failure in the form of punching or a combination of punching and flexure in the wall web is likely. The test results also indicate that the concealed column approximately doubled the plastic rotation capacity of the specimens, provided modest improvements in lateral strength and energy dissipation capacity, but did not appreciably affect the initial stiffness.