Tests of RC Frames with Infilled Walls

Tests of RC Frames with Infilled Walls

After the 921 Chi-Chi Earthquake and the 331 Earthquake, the seismic ability of RC building structures was questioned. Old buildings were possibly not designed with seismic consideration stirrups with 90° hooks and might have non-ductile steel detailings. These defects include insufficient amount of hoops, lap splice in plastic hinges, poor concrete quality, etc. It was also observed that the contribution of walls could have great impact on the seismic behavior of the RC building for both the RC and the brick walls. According to this observation, NCREE starts a series of tests of RC frames with infilled walls. The major test parameters of wall specimens include ductile and non-ductile detailing of frames. There are a total of 19 specimens in the year. Among these specimens, the floor height varies from 1 to 2 floors and the span changes from 1 to 3 spans. As for the infilled walls, there are two kinds of walls, including RC walls and brick walls. There are also several types of openings to reflect real usage of doors and windows. This experiment project started in 2003. All the specimens have been constructed. Ten specimens have been tested while thirteen specimens are waiting for test. Therefore, the purpose of this project is to finish the remaining part of the test and to discard them.