Full-scale dynamic testing of non-ductile reinforced concrete frame (Frame #1)

This experiment presents the results of a full-scale dynamic tests of a two story by two bay nonductile reinforced concrete frame. The structure was designed explicitly for gravity loads with no consideration of lateral loads. The new nees@UCLA linear inertial shaker is used to provide dynamic loading at the roof using both harmonic and broadband inputs. The small nees@UCLA 4600A portable eccentric mass shaker is used intermittently to determine the shift in the dynamic properties of the structure. This test is conducted on the as-built frame (Frame #1). Frames #2-#4 (which are nominally identical in construction) were retrofitted and tested separately. The key result of this investigation of this experiment was twofold. First, it was verified that the linear shaker could impart large scale broadband excitations to the structure, exciting it into its nonlinear regime. Secondly, the failure mechanism of the concrete frame was governed by failures of the column splices at the foundation. Once the splices failed, the forces that could be imparted on other members of the system was limited.