Study of earthquake response in a 15-story reinforced-concrete frame-tube model in a shaking table test

Through a series of shaking table tests on a 15-story regularly hexagonal reinforced-concrete frame-tube model of 1:20 scale, the regularities of natural frequencies, the mode shapes and critical damping values of the structure are analysed and the dynamic responses of the structure under one-dimensional (horizontal or vertical) and two-dimensional (horizontal and vertical) earthquake waves are studied. In particular, the influences of vertical waves on dynamic response and the failure mechanism of the structure are emphasized in the discussion. Using a finite element program based on a three-dimensional bar system, the nonlinear dynamic analysis for the test structure is conducted, and finally the calculated and experimental results are compared. Additionally, the influences of vertical earthquake waves on the failure of reinforced-concrete frame-tubes is approached using the finite element method and a conclusion consistent with the experimental results is obtained.