Strengthening of Gravity Load Designed Reinforced Concrete Frames with the External RC Shear Walls

Abstract

Turkey is situated on a very earthquake zone of the world namely Alp-Himalayan Earthquake Zone. Several destructive earthquakes resulted in high dead losses in the last century. Turkish building stock consisted of nonductile RC framed structures commonly 3 to 7 stories. The common properties of the existing structures is the poor lateral resistance. The residental buildings with poor earthquake resistance must be rehabilitated with a rapid, economical, feasible and effective strengthening methods. The external shear wall addition to the existing poor frame is studied experimentally in this study. 6 specimens were tested under reversed cyclic lateral loading simulating the seismic action. The first specimen was the reference specimen and didn't contain any strengthening and tested to see reference behaviour. The other specimens were strengthened with external shear walls with or without openings. The size of the openings is a parameter in the study. Secons specimen didn't contain any opening. Columns of the frames also jacketed with reinforced concrete. The maximum lateral load carrying capacity, ductility capacities, energy consuption capacities, improvement in the lateral rigidities were investigated.