Title: Testing and Modeling of Reinforced Concrete Coupling Beams (NEES-2011-1100)

Year Of Curation: 2013

Description: An efficient structural system for tall building construction to resist earthquake loads consists of reinforced concrete shear walls connected by coupling beams. Construction of coupling beams that satisfy the strength and detailing requirements set forth in ACI 318-05 for diagonally reinforced coupling beams is cumbersome and costly; therefore, ACI 318-08 provides a new detailing option which aims to improve the constructability while maintaining adequate strength and ductility. Eight half-scale specimens were tested to compare the performance of beams constructed utilizing new and old detailing options, to compare beams with diagonal reinforcement to beams with straight bars at higher aspect ratios, and to assess the impact of reinforced and post-tensioned slabs. Test results indicate that the new detailing approach provides equal, if not improved behavior as compared to the alternative detailing approach and that including a slab had only a modest impact on strength, stiffness, ductility, and observed damage.

Award: Charles Pankow Foundation CPF 4-06

PIs & CoPIs: John Wallace

Dates: March 09, 2007 - January 04, 2013

Organizations: University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Facilities: University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Sponsor: Charles Pankow Foundation - CPF 4-06

Keywords: coupling beam,testing,modeling,RC,slab,cyclicloading,tallbuildings,core wall

Publications: 
Andrew Fry; Ron Klemencic, "CUEE 2010 Paper - Modeling of Diagonally Reinforced Concrete Coupling Beams"
"EERI 2010 Paper - Testing and Modeling of Diagonally Reinforced Concrete Coupling Beams"
"Testing and Modeling of Reinforced Concrete Coupling Beams"

• John Wallace (2017), "Testing and Modeling of Reinforced Concrete Coupling Beams (NEES-2012-1100)," https://datacenterhub.org/deedsdv/publications/view/478.