Seismic Response of RC Frames with Haunch Retrofit Solution

Haunch retrofit solution (HRS) has been investigated as a viable alternative for retrofitting of beam-column joints of reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures. For connecting the haunch elements to the frame members, partially prestressed rods were used. This solution, however, makes it difficult for implementation in practice due to the requirement of drilling holes through the slab. A more practical solution is to connect the haunch elements using post-installed anchors, resulting in fully fastened HRS (FFHRS). The solution has been tested at the subassembly level, and encouraging results were obtained. To verify the performance of the FFHRS to retrofit the frame structures subjected to real-life seismic loads, shake-table tests were performed on non-seismically detailed two-dimensional (2-D) RC frame structures. This paper presents the results of the experiments with the detailed discussion of the performance of the FFHRS under earthquake ground motions. © 2014, American Concrete Institute.