Bull Earthquake Eng (2010) 8:401–420

DOI 10.1007/s10518-009-9144-3

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

Interior wide beam-column connections in existing RC

frames subjected to lateral earthquake loading

A. Benavent-Climent · X. Cahís · J. M. Vico

Received: 10 March 2009 / Accepted: 16 July 2009 / Published online: 28 July 2009
© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009

Abstract The seismic performance of two RC interior wide beam-column connections

representative of existing frames designed and detailed according to past construction prac-
tices in the moderate-seismicity Mediterranean area was investigated experimentally. The
specimens were subjected to axial loads, moderate levels of gravity loading and cyclic dis-
placements up to failure. The specimens exhibited a “strong column-weak beam” type of
flexural yielding mechanism. The wide beams did not reach the expected capacities corre-
sponding to the formation of a full-width plastic hinge. The wide-beam longitudinal bars
exhibited significant slippage, and the transverse beams underwent severe torsion cracking
and even failure; this caused severe pinching in the load versus displacement hysteretic loops
and exacerbated the intrinsic flexibility of this type of connection. The average drift ratios at
first yielding of the wide beam longitudinal reinforcement and at failure were 2.7 and 4.5%,
respectively. The displacement ductility ratio was about 2.8. The ultimate energy dissipation
capacity of each specimen—obtained by dividing the total plastic strain energy by the product
of the yield load and yield displacement—was approximately 9, which is about one fourth
of the value recommended for providing adequate seismic performance. Finally, a simple
approach is suggested for prediction of the bending capacity of existing connections.

Keywords Wide beam-column · Existing frames · Transverse beam ·

Energy dissipation · Ductility

A. Benavent-Climent (B)
Department of Structural Mechanics, University of Granada, Edificio Politécnico, Granada, Spain
e-mail: benavent@ugr.es

X. Cahís
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Girona, Campus de Montilivi, Girona, Spain

J. M. Vico
Department of Construction, University of Granada, Edificio Politécnico, Granada, Spain

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1 Introduction

Reinforced-concrete (RC) frames with wide beam-column connections and one-way slabs
are structural systems in which the slab is constructed with joists from which the load is
transferred to shallow beams whose width bb exceeds the width of the column bc , and whose
depth h b is equal to the thickness of the joist (typically 200–300 mm) (see Fig. 1). They are
commonly called banded-floor systems or wide-beam systems. The wide beams frame into
columns forming connections that may be thought of as part way between normal connec-
tions (i.e. those with bb < bc ) and flat-plate to column connections. Wide beams are largely
preferred by architects as a primary gravity load-carrying system because they allow more
flexibility in the definition of spaces, and they are very effective in reducing the formwork.
However, they present several drawbacks when used in highly seismic regions as a lateral
load-resisting system: (1) a deficient transfer of the bending moment from the wide beam
to the column; (2) a low lateral stiffness and (3) a poor energy dissipation capacity. These
drawbacks are due primarily to the fact that part of the wide beam longitudinal reinforcement
is anchored in transverse beams perpendicular to the wide beams and adjacent to the column,
rather than in the column core.
Concerns about the behaviour of the wide beam-column connections under lateral loads
led codes to prohibit or limit their use in seismic regions. In the US, ACI-ASCE Committee
352 (ACI-ASCE 1991) recommended that wide beams not be used in structures to dissi-
pate energy inelastically in response to earthquake motions. ACI-318-95 (ACI 1995) and
ACI-318-99 (ACI 1999) codes permitted wide beams if
bb ≤ (bc + 1.5h b ). (1)
The New Zealand standard NZS3101-95 (NZSA 1995) limited bb to
bb ≤ min{bc + 0.5h c ; 2bc } (2)
where h c is the depth of the column. The more recent ACI-318-05 (ACI 2005) and ACI-318-
08 (ACI 2008) limit bb to
bb ≤ min {bc + 1.5h c ; 3bc } . (3)

Fig. 1 Typical interior wide beam-column connection

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