Overview of the Revised ACI-ASCE 352 Committee Recommendations for Design of Beam-Column Connections in Monolithic Reinforced Concrete Structures

The extended damage in beam-column connections, particularly during earthquakes, prompted researchers and designers in the 1970's to investigate the behavior of that region, as well as to develop analysis and design criteria. The ACI-ASCE 352 Committee published the first comprehensive technical guideline for the analysis, design and detailing of beam-column joints in 1976. Since then, the report, and its revisions, has been widely used by designers throughout the world, thus leading to better designs or reinforced concrete (RC) frame buildings. Moreover, this document has served as a cornerstone for the development of RC building codes in different countries. The simple, yet conservative, model of joint behavior and the document format are most appealing to the practice. It is the aim of this paper to briefly describe the evolution of ACI-ASCE 352 Committee report on beam-column joints (now referred to connections), and to briefly present main modifications and additions to the most recent revision.