International journal of advanced scientific and technical research Issue 2 volume 6, December 2012

Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijst/index.html ISSN 2249-9954

Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Exterior

The design of beam-column joints is an important factor for earthquake resistant design
of reinforced concrete moment-resisting frames. Recent earthquakes in different parts of the
world have revealed about the importance of design of reinforced concrete structures with high
ductility. This paper presents a review of the experimental research associated with the behaviour
of beam column joint and focuses on behaviour of beam column joint under various loading
condition. The specimens were tested at various combinations of axial load and cyclic loading.
The behaviour of beam column joint improves in hysteresis behaviour, energy dissipation and
load retention capacities are clearly attained for the specimens with horizontal stirrups in joint
core. It was indicated that shear strengths of the beam-column joints were effectively enhanced
by providing stirrups in joint core. Addition of fibres to the beam-column joints decreases the
rate of stiffness degradation appreciably when compared to the joints without fibres. The
provision of steel fibre in beam-column joints enhances the strength, ductility, stiffness and is
one of the possible alternative solutions for reducing the congestion of transverse reinforcement
in beam column joints. The literature presented on beam column joint has been comprehensively
searched for future research on the behaviour of reinforced concrete beam column joint is
discussed briefly.
Keywords:

Beam column joint, Monotonic loading, Cyclic loading, Steel fibre, Reinforced concrete, Seismic loading.

Corresponding Author: Muthukrishnan V.

1. INTRODUCTION

For attaining adequate confinement in the joint region, stipulation of modern codes for
high amount of stirrup reinforcement in this region has led to explore the possibilities of usage
of fibre reinforced concrete (FRC). It will facilitate to develop a practicable and economical
solution for detailing of beam-column joints and it will also enable ductile and robust behaviour
of the joints under inelastic cyclic/seismic loading, Constanze Röhm et al [1]. The result of the
study conducted by Ganesan et al [2] shows that the provision of SFRHPC in beam-column
joints enhances the strength, ductility and stiffness, and is one of the possible alternative
solutions for reducing the congestion of transverse reinforcement in beam column joints.
Reinforced concrete beam-column joint assemblages with non-seismic design under load
reversals possess low ductility capacity and poor hysteretic behaviour, and have relatively low
shear strength, Kuang and Wong [3]. The GFRP-reinforced joints can successfully sustain a
4.0% drift ratio without any significant residual deformation. This indicates the feasibility of

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International journal of advanced scientific and technical research Issue 2 volume 6, December 2012
Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijst/index.html ISSN 2249-9954

using GFRP bars and stirrups as reinforcement in the beam-column joints subjected to seismic
type loading, Mohamed Mady et al [4]. Beam–column joints are critical regions of structures
due to the fact that they are located in an area, where, the bond and normal stresses are
substantially high, Vladimir Guilherme et al [9].

2. EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMME

2.1 TEST SPECIMENS

A total of four beam column joints had identical beam and column sizes. The beams were
150mm deep by 100 mm wide and columns were 150 mm deep by 100 mm wide. The units were
one-third of full scale with 550 mm long beams measured from column face with an inter-storey
height of 1000 mm by Bindhu and Jaya [2]. Kaung J.S and Wong H.F [4] have tested six exterior
beam-column joints, which were designed to British Standard BS 8110 were tested, each having a
beam of 260 mm wide framing into the column of 300 mm square cross-section. Three specimens
have a beam depth of 450 mm, and the other of 600 mm. Zhoudao LU et al [5] used a total of five
repaired column-beam joints (C-BJs) strengthened by basalt fibre reinforced polymer (BFRP) had
been pre-damaged under cyclic loads in order to study on the seismic behaviour. Ganesan et al [3]
conducted experimental test on ten steel fibre reinforced high performance concrete (SFRHPC)
exterior beam-column joints under cyclic loading. The column was reinforced with four 12 mm
diameter high yield strength deformed (HYSD) bars, and the beam was provided with two 12 mm
diameter HYSD bars at the top and bottom. HYSD bars of 6 mm diameter were used for
transverse ties in the columns and stirrups in the beams height of 3,650 mm. Pimanmas and
Chaimahawan [8] conducted testing on five interior beam-column specimens. The dimension of
column and beam sections was 200 mm × 350 mm and 175 mm × 300 mm, respectively. Main and
transverse reinforcements were 12 mm diameter deformed bars and 3-mm diameter plain mild
steel, respectively.

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International journal of advanced scientific and technical research Issue 2 volume 6, December 2012
Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijst/index.html ISSN 2249-9954

2.2 TEST PROCEDURE

Bindhu and Jaya [2] studied the behaviour of joint assemblages were subject to axial load and
reverse cyclic loading. A constant column axial load was applied by means of a 392.4 kN hydraulic
jack mounted vertically to the loading frame for simulating the gravity load on the column. Axial load
for the first series specimen was 15.92kN and for the second series was 53.06 kN. One end of the
column was given an external hinge support, which was fastened to the strong reaction floor, and the
other end was laterally restrained by a roller support. Kaung J.S and Wong H.F [4] were tested the
specimens to apply reversible cyclic loading at the end of the beam, and the axial load was applied to
the column by a hydraulic jack located at the steel bearing. In the test the load-control method was
used at the early loading stages; one cycle of horizontal loading of ±0.5Pi and then ±0.75Pi applied,
where the load P was the cyclic applied load at the top of the specimen when the beam reaches its
ultimate flexural strength, which was determined with BS 8110 rectangular stress for concrete without
incorporating any safety factors. Zhoudao LU et al [5] used a test setup where the column was fixed at
its ends on a loading frame subjected to the axial compression ratio of 0.5 and a constant axial load of
200kN which simulated the axial force of the lower column as far as possible. Horizontal loads were
imposed by force and displacement method. Each load step had two cycles back and forth controlling
by force before yielding of steel bars. While it had three times per cycle in amplitude level controlled
by the displacement after yielding and then increased the load point displacement into the next load.
Ganesan et al [3] tested specimens in an universal testing machine of 294.3 kN (or 30 t) capacity.
A constant load of 15.7 kN (or 1.6 t), which is about 20% of the axial capacity of the column, was
applied to the columns for holding the specimens in position and to simulate column axial load. A
hydraulic jack of 4.9 kN (or 0.5 t) capacity was used to apply load at the beam. Three numbers of
linear variable differential transducers (LVDTs) were used to measure the deformations, and later
strains, at different locations. The gauge length of each LVDT was 200 mm. One LVDT was used to
verify whether there is any axial deformation, and the other two LVDTs were used to measure the
beam rotations. Each specimen was tested under reversed cyclic loading in the loading frame. The
general arrangement of the experimental setup adopted by Perumal.P and Thanukumari.B [7] was
shown in Figure2. The reversed cyclic load was applied by using one screw jack for giving downward
displacement and one hydraulic jack for giving upward displacement at the end of the beam at a
distance of 50mm from the beam end.

Figure2. A Schematic View of Beam Column Joint setup

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International journal of advanced scientific and technical research Issue 2 volume 6, December 2012
Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijst/index.html ISSN 2249-9954

3. DISCUSSION OF RESULT

Constanze Röhm et al [1] tested the beam column joint specimens applying the reversed
cyclic load, further bending cracks (almost uniformly distributed) were found in top and bottom
side of beam. It was observed that only two significant cracks at the face of the column
widened and finally built one continuous crack with a width of 30 mm through the full beam
height. Bindhu and Jaya [2] has observed that the ductility for the group B specimens have an
increase of 14.97% and 114.76% over the corresponding group A specimens. Thus the non-
conventional confining reinforcement at joint region improves the ductility of joint. It was
observed that the ductility of the joint increases with the increase in the axial load for the
specimens in group B, but for the specimens in group A increase in the axial load reduces the
ductility. Kaung J.S and Wong H.F [4] had investigated and found that the effectiveness of
horizontal stirrups in joint cores on the seismic behaviour and enhanced shear strength, two
series of specimens BS-450/-450-H1T10/-450-H2T10 and BS-600/-600H2T8/-600-H4T8 are
considered and compared. Although all specimens failed in a joint shear-failure mode, the
shear strength increases when the joint core stirrup ratio increases. Zhoudao LU et al [5]
observed that the seismic performance of the joints damaged by cyclic loads and then
reinforced by BFRP can be improved significantly. The reinforcement method has great
efficient on controlling the bending damage of column tip, shearing failure of the core area and
anchor damage of joint. The BFRP sheets is equivalent to provide additional transverse
reinforcement to increase shearing capacity of the core area, limit the concrete spalling and
longitudinal reinforcement buckling, and prevent the joint to damage and slide so that the core
area can come to the ideal ductile failure on the beam tip.

4. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

The literature review has concentrated largely on the behaviour of beam column joint
subjected to monotonic loading, cyclic loading and seismic behaviour. Generally, Column axial
load generates tension stresses on beam longitudinal reinforcement; therefore the shear force in
the joint is increased by this variable. In case of reinforced concrete beam column joints,
stiffness of the joint gets reduced when the joint is subjected to cyclic/repeated/dynamic loading.
Addition of fibres to the beam-column joints decreased the rate of stiffness degradation
appreciably when compared to the joints without fibres. To avoid reinforcement congestion in
joints and to facilitate smooth construction, amount of stirrups required in the joint region was
reduced and successfully substituted by usage of steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC). The
hybrid fibre reinforced concrete joints undergo large displacements without developing wider
cracks when compared to SFRHPC and HPC joints. The hybrid fibre reinforced concrete in the
joint region, consisting of 1.5% of steel fibre and 0.2% of polypropylene fibre exhibited
excellent strength, deformation capacity, energy dissipation capacity and damage tolerance.

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International journal of advanced scientific and technical research Issue 2 volume 6, December 2012
Available online on http://www.rspublication.com/ijst/index.html ISSN 2249-9954

REFERENCE

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Srinivas, Behaviour of fibre reinforced beam-column sub-assemblages under reversed cyclic
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[2]. Bindhu K.R. and Jaya K.P, Strength and behaviour of exterior beam column joints with
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[3]. Ganesan, N., Indira, P.V and Ruby Abraham, Steel fibre reinforced high performance concrete
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[4]. Kaung J.S. and Wong H.F, Effectiveness of Horizontal Stirrups in Joint Core for Exterior
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[5]. LU Zhoudao, SU Lei, and YU Jiangtao, Experimental Study on the Seismic Behaviour of
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[6]. Mohamed Mady , Amr El-Ragaby, and Ehab El-Salakawy, Seismic Behavior of Beam-Column
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[7]. Perumal P. and Thanukumari B, Seismic performance of hybrid fiber reinforced Beam -
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[8]. Pimanmas,A. and Chaimahawan., Cyclic Shear Resistance of Expanded Beam-Column Joint,
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[9]. Siva Chidambaram.K.R and Thirugnanam.G.S, Comparative Study on Behaviour of

[10]. Vladimir Guilherme Haach, Ana Lucia Homce De Cresce El Debs ,and Mounir Khalil El
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