Title: Reinforced Concrete Coupling Beams with Different Layouts under Seismic and Wind Loads

Author(s): Tse-An Chou, Seung Heon Lee, Chunho Chang, and Thomas H.-K. Kang

Publication: Structural Journal

Volume: 120

Issue: 4

Appears on pages(s): 165-178

Keywords: confinement; coupling beam; diagonal reinforcement; longitudinal reinforcement; reinforced concrete (RC); seismic loading; wind loading.

DOI: 10.14359/51738743

Date: 7/1/2023

Abstract:
Reinforced concrete (RC) coupling beams can act as an efficient energy-dissipating fuse and force transfer element between RC shear walls in low- to high-rise buildings. To investigate the effect of different reinforcement layouts, amounts of confinement, and loading protocols on RC coupling beams, eight RC coupling beams with a span-depth ratio of 2.5 were tested with three parameters: 1) longitudinal or diagonal reinforcement layout; 2) full, two-thirds, or one-half the amount of confinement relative to ACI 318-19 requirements; and 3) seismic or wind loading protocols. The test results showed that: first, the nominal shear and upper-limit equations for diagonally RC coupling beams in ACI 318-19 may need to be improved, and it is also recommended to consider the contribution of confinement to shear strength; and second, because only minor cracks were observed under the wind with no significant damage, the experiment in this study can act as an example of structural verification for performance-based wind design.