SEISMIC PERFORMANCE BEHAVIOR OF BEAM-COLUMN CONNECTIONS IN PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BRIDGES

Test results for four prestressed concrete beam-column connections sub jected to reversed cyclic loading are reported. The specimens were par t of an experimental program designed to investigate the effect of des ign provisions/specifications and concrete strength on seismic perform ance behavior oi such connections. The major design parameters varied in the specimens were the design code (AASHTO versus New Zealand codes ) and the concrete: strength (high versus normal strength concrete). F rom the test results, it was concluded that both the AASHTO and New Ze aland codes provide sufficient capacities for earthquake-resistant des ign, and before spalling of the concrete cover, the stiffness degradat ion of the specimen with high strength concrete was less serious than that with normal strength concrete. To account accurately for the hyst eretic behavior, a new set of rules for such connections to predict th e hysteretic loops is proposed.