Experimental and Numerical Study of Some of Effective Parameters on Behavior of Exterior Reinforced Concrete Beam-Column Connection and its Comparison with RC Structural Code

During a destructive earthquake, beam-column connection ought to be the last part of whole system that be damaged. In this study, exterior beam-column connection of the five story building designed by the current seismic concrete design code was chosen. The selective connection was subjected to cyclic (seismic type) loading. For studying the more influencing parameters which effect connection behaviors, a FEM model was prepared. The FEM model was calibrated by using the experimental specimens at same loading history. Two different axial load quantities (,) were applied on top of column. Increasing loads and concrete compressive strength cause an increase in the shear strength of connection. Transverse beam not only affect the confinement of beam-column connection but also increases the system rigidity. In all the models used, the shear factor (γ in) without axial load is more than the values suggested by ABA (Iranian concrete design code) and more than the minimum value of (NZS 3101-1995). The results was shown that in concrete structures the chosen one value for effective stiffness of cracked element without considering ductility of element is not reliable.