Cyclic behavior of interior beam-column connections in non-seismic RC frames at different loading rates

This paper provides an insight into the response of non-seismic reinforced concrete (RC) building frames to excitations of different frequencies through experimental investigation. The results of cyclic loading tests of six full-scale RC beam-column sub-assemblies are presented. The tested specimens did not have any transverse reinforcement inside the joint core, and they were subjected to quasi-static and dynamic loading with frequencies as high as 20 Hz. Some important differences between the cyclic responses of non-seismic and ductile RC frames are highlighted. The effect of excitation frequency on the behavior of non-seismic joints is also discussed. In the quasi-static tests, shear deformation of the joint panel accounted for more than 50% of the applied story drift. The test results also showed that higher-frequency excitations are less detrimental than quasi-static cyclic loads, and non-seismic frames can withstand a higher load and a larger deformation when they are applied faster.