Sponsor: United States National Science Foundation
Description: In this project, high-performance fiber reinforced concrete (HPFRC) were selectively used at the beam-column joints to improve the structural performance of buildings while keeping the additional costs at a minimum. Using experimental and computational methods, a comparative damage evaluation and life-cycle cost assessment of building with RC and HPFRC joints were performed. Analysis of joints is a difficult task because of the complex load transfer and the behavior of materials under multi-axial loading. Therefore, multi-axial (six degree-of-freedom) loading units were used to impose realistic loading and boundary conditions on the joints. A non-contact measurement system was used to study critical deformation states that lead to the initiation of damage as well as its progression until complete failure.