Seismic performance of high strength reinforced concrete columns

This paper summarizes an experimental and analytical study on the seismic behavior of high strength reinforced concrete columns under cyclic loading. In total six cantilever columns with different sizes and concrete compressive strengths were tested. Three columns, small size, had a 325 x 325 mm cross section and the three other columns, medium size, were 520 x 520 mm. Concrete compressive strength was 80, 130 and 180 MPa. All specimens were designed in accordance with the Japanese design guidelines. The tests demonstrated that, for specimens made of 180 MPa concrete compressive strength, spalling of cover concrete was very brittle followed by a significant decrease in strength. Curvature was much important for the small size than for the medium size columns. Concrete compressive strength had no effect on the curvature distribution for a drift varying between -2% and +2%. However, it had an effect on the drift corresponding to the peak moment and on the equivalent viscous damping variation. Simple equations are proposed for 1) evaluating the concrete Young's modulus for high strength concrete and for 2) evaluating the moment-drift envelope curves for the medium size columns knowing that of the small size columns. Experimental moment-drift and axial strain-drift histories were well predicted using a fiber model developed by the authors.