Shear Strength of R/C Beam-Column Connections

Strength and load reversal tests were conducted on reinforced concrete beam-column connections. Fourteen tests investigated the influence of the column axial compressive stress, the amount of hoop reinforcement in the connection, the size and location of transverse beams, and the geometry of the connection region. The test results indicate that the current state-of-the-art design procedure underestimates the capabilities of concrete in the beam-column connection and overestimates the contribution of hoop reinforcement in the connection. It appears that satisfactory load reversal behavior can be achieved if the shear stress in the connection is about half of the monotonic shear strength.