ABSTRACT
There are many details for reinforced concrete joints, and corners. Few studies have been made on frame joints to define the joint detail that could satisfy the strength requirements, cracking, ductility, in addition to the simplicity of construction. The most critical type of joints are those subjected to opening moments, which produce tensile stresses in the inside surface of the corner. The reinforcement layout of the frame joints, should meet certain basic requirements. The joint should resist a moment of at least the failure moment of the section adjacent to the joint. In this case, a flexural failure may
occur outside the joint, which then should not limit the load bearing capacity of the frame. If the first requirement is not fulfilled, then the joint should have the necessary ductility, and rotational capacity, so that the redistribution of forces within the structure, can proceed without the occurrence of brittle failures of the joints. The present research work is divided into two parts. In the first part of the presented work, the effect of the following factors on the general deformational behaviour of the reinforced concrete joints and corners are studied. These factors area as follows:
1) The effect of using different types of details of reinforcement in the frame joints. 2) The effect of adding special inclined steel bars at the tension side of these joints. 3) The effect of using different ratios of the main steel reinforcement in the joint
behaviour. 4) Proposing the ideal detail of reinforcement, and the ratio of the main steel, which
provide the maximum strength, and ductility for this type of joint. 5) The effect of the joint confinement by stirrups.
