Influence of concrete's poor-quality management on the seismic behavior of RC frames subject to near-field pulse-like ground motions

• Published in: Asian journal of civil engineering. Building and housing Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 507 - 522
• Main Authors: Al-kharabsheh, Buthainah, Alqawasmeh, Hasan, Alzubi, Yazan, Khatatbeh, Ahmed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.02.2023
• Subjects: Building Materials; Civil Engineering; Engineering; Original Paper; Sustainable Architecture/Green Buildings; Pulse-like earthquakes; Compressive strength; Reinforced concrete structures; Nonlinear analysis
• ISSN: 1563-0854; 2522-011X
• DOI: 10.1007/s42107-022-00515-y

Concrete is considered one of the most widely used construction materials worldwide. It can produce low-cost structures with high resistivity and durability than other materials. However, the uncertainty during the casting process can emerge from the change in the ambient conditions and the occurrence of human errors. Such problems may decrease the mixture's strength and increase the building's risk of failure when exposed to seismic excitations. Previous studies have clarified that near-fault pulse-like ground motions can significantly destroy structures and infrastructures. This research aims to evaluate the effects of concrete strength variation on the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete structures undergoing near-fault pulse-like earthquakes. It will be accomplished by modeling a benchmark frame in a finite element environment and then analyzing nonlinear response history. Besides, various scenarios of concrete strength reduction in some structural elements are designed to account for casting errors at the slight, moderate, and severe levels. The study's outcomes have indicated that the drop in compressive strength of concrete significantly affects the structure's seismic capacity, mainly if the deficiency exists in the first story.