Seismic Performance of Reinforced Concrete Beam-Column Joints
Summary
Reinforced concrete beam-column joints form the critical nexus between horizontal beams and vertical columns in moment-resisting frames. Under seismic excitation, these joints must accommodate complex combinations of shear, flexure and axial forces while preserving sufficient ductility and energy dissipation capacity. Failure in the joint region often precipitates a brittle loss of lateral strength, undermining the intended plastic-hinge mechanism in beams and leading to premature collapse. Over the past decades, research has elucidated key parameters governing joint performance, including transverse reinforcement detailing, concrete confinement, bond characteristics of passing bars and the hierarchy of failure modes. Modern design approaches aim to ensure that plastic hinges form in beams rather than within the joint core, thereby safeguarding the overall frame ductility. In parallel, practical retrofit techniques have been developed to upgrade existing structures through external strengthening, targeting regions of joint shear weakness and enhancing post-yield behaviour. These advances bear profound implications for seismic resilience in urban areas worldwide.
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Seismic Performance of Reinforced Concrete Beam-Column Joints publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in seismic performance of reinforced concrete beam-column joints across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Beam-column joint: The region where a beam and column intersect, subject to combined shear, moment and axial forces under seismic loading.
Ductility: The capacity of a structural element to undergo large deformations beyond yield without loss of load-carrying ability.
Fragility curve: A probabilistic function relating seismic intensity (e.g., peak ground acceleration) to the probability of reaching or exceeding specified damage states.
Hysteretic loop: The load–displacement envelope traced during cyclic loading, indicative of energy dissipation and stiffness degradation.
Finite element modelling (FEM): A numerical technique that subdivides a structure into discrete elements to simulate stress–strain behaviour under complex loading.
References
- Seismic performance evaluation of exterior reinforced concrete beam-column connections retrofitted with economical perforated steel haunches. Results in Engineering (2024).
- Enhancement of the Fragility Capacity of RC Frames Using FRPs with Different Configurations at Joints. Polymers (2023).
- Effectiveness of the Novel Rehabilitation Method of Seismically Damaged RC Joints Using C-FRP Ropes and Comparison with Widely Applied Method Using C-FRP Sheets—Experimental Investigation. Sustainability (2021).
- Application of X-Shaped CFRP Ropes for Structural Upgrading of Reinforced Concrete Beam–Column Joints under Cyclic Loading–Experimental Study. Fibers (2021).
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