Investigation of Limit States Specified for Reinforced Concrete Column Members in TEC–2007

• Main Authors: Umut HASGÜL, Altuğ YAVAŞ, Kaan TÜRKER, Mehmet TERZİ, Tamer BİROL
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bursa Uludag University 2016-01-01
• Series: Uludağ University Journal of The Faculty of Engineering
• Subjects: Reinforced concrete column; deformation based limit state; experimental damage investigation; performance based assessment
• Online Access: http://mmfdergi.uludag.edu.tr/article/view/5000120910

<p>In this study, the deformation based limit states stipulated for reinforced concrete members in the Turkish Earthquake Code (TEC) were experimentally investigated. Thus four RC cantilever columns which have low concrete compressive strengths and have not adequate confinement, were subjected to constant axial load and cyclic lateral load history. In the study, firstly, the strain values representing the damage limits were converted to top of the column lateral displacements by using fundamentals of structural mechanics. Subsequently the column damages corresponding to the displacement demands were observed, hence limit states were evaluated. After conducting all column tests, it was noted that no column damage was observed for the immediate occupancy (IO) performance level defined in the code. For the life safety (LS) and collapse prevention (CP) performance levels, though somewhat residual deformations occurred on the critical regions, the column members can pretty much sustain their lateral load capacities. It was also observed for all columns that significant damages and strength losses occurred beyond the collapse prevention level. The results of experimental study indicate that the evaluation procedure in the TEC is still in good relationship with the limit states even if the columns have not adequate compressive strength and confinement.</p>