PSEUDO-DYNAMIC TEST OF FULL-SCALE RCS FRAME: PART I - DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, TESTING

A full-scale three-story, three-bay composite steel-concrete frame was pseudodynamically tested under ground motions representing four earthquakes of varying hazard levels, with imposed story drift ratios up to about 5.5%. The frame was then subjected to a quasi-static pushover, which imposed story drifts up to 10%. Overall, the test demonstrates that the composite frame performs as implied by building provisions, exhibiting very little damage under frequent earthquakes, controlled and repairable damage under the design earthquake, and collapse prevention under the maximum considered earthquake. This paper summarizes the planning, design, construction, and execution of the frame test, including a summary of the test results. Comparisons with analytical simulations and design implications are discussed in a second companion paper.