An Experimental Study on the Effect of Fibre

Reinforced Concrete on the Behaviour of the Exterior

Beam-Column Joints Subjected to Cyclic Loading
 A BRIEF INTRO ON BEAM COLUMN JOINT

╠ During a strong earthquake, beam-column joints are subjected to cyclic loading.

╠ They constitute one of the critical regions.

╠ They must be designed and detailed to dissipate large amounts of energy without

appreciable loss of strength and stiffness.

╠ The ductile behaviour of reinforced concrete structures dominantly depends on the

reinforcement detailing at the beam-column joints.

╠ It is subjected to high shear and bond-slip deformations under earthquake loading.

╠ Failure of the joint region can not only damage the column load paths but also

adversely affect the ductility and energy dissipation capacity of the frame as whole.
 In exterior joints the beam longitudinal reinforcement that
frames into the column terminates within the joint core.
 After a few cycles of inelastic loading, the bond
deterioration initiated at the column face due to yield
penetration and splitting cracks which on further loading,
progresses towards the joint core.
 Repeated loading will aggravate the situation and a
complete loss of bond up to the beginning of the bent portion
of the bar may take place.
 The longitudinal reinforcement bar, if terminated straight,
will get pulled out due to progressive loss of bond. The pull
out failure of the longitudinal bars of the beam results in
complete loss of flexural strength. This kind of failure is
unacceptable at any stage.
 Hence, proper anchorage of the beam longitudinal
reinforcement bars in the joint core is of utmost importance.
 The horizontal ties in the form of transverse
reinforcement in the joint provide effective restraints against
the hook when the beam bar is in compression
 Forces acting in the exterior joint during earthquake

a) Forces b) poor detail c) sufficient detail

Overall Review of the Study on RC Beam-Column Joints

• Mustafa GENCOLGU et al (2002), reported that for the

ductile behaviour of beam-column joints, closely spaced transverse
reinforcement is required by earthquake codes. However, placement
of this reinforcement in joints always causes some difficulties due
to a lack of qualified workmanship.
• According to these evaluations, it is shown that the usage of
fibre reinforcement concrete in beam-column joints can be an
alternate solution for minimizing the density of transverse
reinforcement.
 The general arrangement of the experimental setup and the
beam tip displacement transducers (from 2 to 16). - Mustafa
GENCOLGU et al (2002)
STRAIN CONTROLLED LOADING - Mustafa GENCOLGU et al
(2002)
• IDAYANI BINTI SALIM et al (2007) reported the casting
of the beams and slabs at a particular floor level together with the
beam-column connection zone using the same lower grade of
concrete. The columns above and below the beam column joint
were cast with markedly higher grade of concrete. Such casting
sequence forms beam-column connection zones with significantly
lower concrete strength than that in the upper and lower columns.

• The results show that lower concrete strength (Grade C30)

in the connection zone reduces its ultimate capacity and shear
stress. It was also found that additional links in the connection zone
cast with Grade C30 concrete improves the shear capacity of the
joint beyond that achieved by the specimen with Grade C80
concrete with out additional link in the zone.
• K.R.Bindhu et al (2008) studied on the effect of cross inclined
bar at the joint as confining reinforcement on the behaviour of exterior
reinforced concrete beam-to-column connections subjected to earthquake
loading.
• The author sorted four exterior beam-column joint sub
assemblages in to two groups. Group-A comprises of 2 joint assemblages
with joint detailing as per ductile detailing code in India (IS 13920:1993)
with 2 axial load cases and Group-B comprises of 2 specimens with
cross inclined bars as confining reinforcements.
• The dimension of the column is 1000x150x100 mm and that of
beam is 550x100x150 mm. The experimental results are compared with
analytical results using Finite Element Software ANSYS.
 Continued….

• The conclusions drawn are all the specimens failed by developing

tensile cracks at interface between beam and column. The joint region of
specimens of group-B is free from cracks except some hairline cracks,
which show the joints had adequate shear resisting capacity.
• The increase in column axial load improves the load carrying
capacity and stiffens the joints. Also, this increases the energy absorption
capacity of the specimens with cross-incline bars.
• From the enhanced performance of the detailing of joints with
cross inclined bars (Group-B), it is suggested that the same can be
adopted for beam-column joints in low to moderate seismic risk regions.
OBJECTIVES OF THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION

•To study the effect of different fibers on the given type of

reinforcement configuration (detailing) of the beam column joint.

•To study the increase in strength of the joints and increase in

ductility due to the addition of different fibres.
 FACTORS EFFECTING PROPERTIES OF FIBRE
REINFORCED CONCRETE

Fibre reinforced concrete is the composite material containing

fibres in the cement matrix in an orderly manner or randomly
distributed manner.
Its properties would obviously, depend upon the efficient
transfer of stress between matrix and the fibres, which is largely
dependent on the,
 Type of fibre
 Fibre geometry
 Fibre content
 Orientation and distribution of the fibres
 Mixing and compaction techniques of concrete
 Size and shape of the aggregate.
 Parameters which are chosen as variables

I) Type of fibres
There are different type of fibre which may be used as concrete
admixtures.
1. Glass fibre (Used for Study)
2. Steel fibre
3. Nylon fibre
4. Polyester fibre (used for study)
5. Natural fibres
II) Volume fraction of fibres
Fibres added with concrete in four volume fractions 0.25%,
0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% weight of concrete.
And hence 9 specimens were cast including one control
specimen.
PROPERTIES OF FIBRES

•Glass fibre (Discrete glass fibres)

Tensile strength : 1020 to 4080 N/mm2
Trade name : CEM-FIL
Alkali resistance : Good
Durability : High

•Polyester fibre (Recron 3s)

Cut length : 6mm or 12 mm
Shape of fibre : special for improved holding of
cement aggregates
Tensile strength : 400-600 N/mm2
Dispersion : Excellent
Acid resistance : Excellent
Alkali resistance : Good
Melting point > 250oC
METHODOLOGY
i.Material testing
a) coarse aggregate
b) fine aggregate
ii.To prepare the design mix for the model
iii. Instrumentation
a). Measurement of load and deflection
b). Measurement of joint shear distortion
c). Measurement of strain
1. Displacement ductility
• Effect of reinforcement detailing on displacement ductility
• Effect of confinement on displacement ductility
Displacement ductility = maximum displacement
displacement at first yield

2. Stiffness behaviour
• Effect of reinforcement detailing on stiffness behaviour
• Effect of confinement on stiffness behaviour
3. Crack pattern
Preparation of BEAM-COLUMN joint model:
•The test specimen is a typical exterior beam column joint.
•The height of column is 1200 mm and the length of beam is 800 mm
from the face of the column.
•The same dimensions were adopted for all the test specimens.

Column Detail

Beam Detail

BEAM-COLUMN joint model

Characteristics of the concrete mixtures
Glass fibre Polyester fibre
Materials unit Plain concrete reinforced reinforced
concrete concrete

Cement kg/m3 430 430 430

Aggregate
kg/m3 910 910 910
(12mm)

Sand kg/m3 445 445 445

Water kg/m3 180.6 180.6 180.6

0.25% - 6 0.25% - 6
0.5% - 12 0.5% - 12
Fibre kg/m3 ___
1.0% - 24 1.0% - 24
1.5% - 36 1.5% - 36
Reinforcement bar – Designed as per IS:13920-1993
Plywood mould prepared for the beam-column joint specimen
Reinforcement bar just placed inside the mould
Specimen after finishing work
Completed specimen sample
Experimental setup
 CONCLUSION
From the studies of previous researchers, it has been found that
the ductility provisions increases the moment carrying capacity in the
joints and so the addition of the fibres which are having good tensile
strength increases the strength further and acting as a crack control
admixtures. It may be expected that the ultimate load carrying
capacity will become constant beyond certain percentage increase of
fibres and so an economic and optimum value may be obtained for a
better joint strength.
REFERENCES:-
1. Mustafa Gencoglu, Ilhan Eren, “An experimental study on the effect
of steel fibre reinforced concrete on the behaviour of the Exterior Beam-
Column joints subjected to Reversal Cyclic loading”, Turkish J.eng. Env.
Sci , 493-502, Feb – 2002.
 
2. H.J.Pam , J.C.M. Ho, “An overview of research at HKU on HSRC
columns and beam-column joints for Low-Medium seismic risked
Regions”, EJSE Special Issue 2008.
 
3. Fumio KUSUHARA, Keiko AZUKAWA, “Tests of reinforced
concrete interior beam-column joint sub assemblage with eccentric
beams”, 13th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Canada,
Page No. 185, August 1-6, 2004.
 
4. K.R.Bindhu and K.P.Jaya, “Performance of exterior Beam Column
Joints with Cross-Inclined bars under seismic Type loading”, Journal of
Engineering and Applied Sciences 3(7): 591-597, 2008.
5. Jaehong Kim and James M. LaFave, “Joint shear behaviour
prediction in RC beam-column connections subjected to seismic
lateral loading”, The 14th World Conference on Earthquake
Engineering October 12-17, 2008, Beijing, China.
 
6. L. Caladoa, L. Simões da Silvab, “Cyclic behaviour of steel and
composite beam-to-column joints”, University of Coimbra,
Portugal.
 
7. Yoshiko Tsunehara, “Seismic performance of full-scale
reinforced concrete beam-column joints”, university of California,
Los angels.