SEISMIC BEHAVIOR AND SHEAR STRENGTH OF FRAMED JOINT USING STEEL-FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE

This paper describes the experimental results of 12 beam‐column joints (five exterior, seven interior) that employ steel‐fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC), under reversed cyclic loading; the experiments were conducted at the Southeast University of China, in Nanjing, China. The parameters studied were the reinforcement ratio of beam bars, the volume ratio of the stirrups in the joint core, and the development length of the beam bar in the joint. Test results indicated that SFRC increases joint shear strength, as well as better ductility and better energy‐dissipation capacities. SFRC used in the joint core could reduce congestion in the steel reinforcement and ease construction difficulties. The joint with steel fibers had a better bond and improved the anchorage properties of the bar. This study suggests that the use of SFRC in beam‐column joints may be applied to structures in seismic areas. In this paper, a formula for joint shear strength and design recommendations are presented for SFRC structures.