ABSTRACT
The effect of non-ductile reinforcing detail on the seismic resistance of slab-column frames was investigated by testing four half-scale flat-plate subassemblies. The test subassemblies were designed and detailed using the code procedures of late forties for gravity load design of flat-slab buildings. Each subassembly consisted of two exterior and one interior connection and was subjected to several cycles of load reversals of increasing amplitude. The variables included slab reinforcing detail, intensity of the gravity load, and the presence of a spandrel beam. The effect of non-ductile connection detail on the overall lateral-load response of slabcolumn frame subassemblies with some detail of individual connection performance is pre sented. Rapid degradation of stiffness, significant reduction in deformation capacity with in creased gravity load, and limited moment transfer capacity of connections under reversed loading emerged as principal response parameters of non-ductile slab-column connections.
