RESISTANCE MECHANISM MODEL FOR REINFORCED-CONCRETE FLAT SLAB-COLUMN FRAME CONNECTIONS

Results of an analytical and theoretical study on reinforced concrete fiat slab-column frames connections, subjected to lateral and vertical lends front earthquake and gravity, are presented. The study investig ates the plastic behavior; and load transfer and final failure mechani sms. An idealized model of the response is presented, based on observa tions of tests repelled in literature, and particularly on tests carri ed out by the authors and followed by detailed postmortem dissections of the failure zones. Based on the idealized resistance mechanism mode l, an analytical method is presented for graphically predicting the en tire moment-rotation response envelope of a connection during the diff erent loading stages, detailing the varying relative fractions of the resistance components. The numerical solutions are compared with curre nt calculation methods on full-subassemblage experimental results.