A Comparative Seismic Fragility Analysis Of A Multi And Single Component Beam-Column Joint Models

Reliable quantification of joint flexibility of non-ductile RC frames is critical for seismic vulnerability assessment. The issue of super-element joint models causing numerical divergence in non-linear time history analysis of reinforced concrete frames is investigated. The rigid joint assumption and a single rotational spring model are implemented for comparison. Reinforced concrete subassemblies and a one-third scaled frame have been employed for validation. Probabilistic seismic demand analysis indicates that super-element joint model may be less vulnerable relative to the single-component joint model. Furthermore, the shift in fragility function may lie in between the rigid joint and single-component joint modeling schemes, implying non-divergence.