An Experimental Study on Shear Behavior of Internal Reinforced Concrete Beam-Column Assembly

The beam-column assembly in a ductile reinforced concrete (RC) frames subjected to seismic loading are generally controlled by shear and bond mechanisms, both of which exhibit poor hysteretic properties. Hence the response of joints is restricted essentially to the elastic domain. The usual earthquake resistant design philosophy of ductile frame buildings allows the beams to form plastic hinges adjacent to beam-column assembly. Increased strain in these plastic hinge regions affect on joint strain to be increased. Thus bond and shear joint strength are decreased. The research reported in this paper presents the test results of five RC beam-column assembly after developing plastic hinges in beams. Main parameter of the test Joints was the amount of the longitudinal tensile reinforcement of the beams. Test results indicted that the ductile capacity of joints increased as the longitudinal tensile reinforcement of the beams decreased. In addition, both the tensile strain of the longitudinal reinforcement bars in the joint and the ductile ratio of the beam-column assemblages increased due to the yielding of steel bars in the plastic hinge regions.