Large-Scale Testing of Reinforced Concrete Coupling Beams with Embedded Structural Steel Sections

Large-Scale Testing of Reinforced Concrete Coupling Beams with Embedded Structural Steel Sections

Through nearly full-scale testing of reinforced concrete coupling beams with embedded structural steel sections, assess the behavior, modeling, and detailing required for structural steel reinforced coupling beams subjected to reversed cyclic loading. Extrapolation of prior tests on relatively small sections to such large sections has yielded questionable results. In the proposed test program, large scale tests will be conducted on realistic scale specimens to address this gap. Test results will be synthesized and presented to ACI and ASCE Committees as a proposed code change for incorporation into the next cycle of the IBC and material codes.