| Subassemblages modeled after lightly reinforced concrete beam/slab/column and flat-plate buildings were tested under simulated seismic loads. To study the behavior of retrofitted frames, one subassemblage of each type was affixed with viscoelastic (VE) dampers set in diagonal steel braces. The scope of the investigation included (1) assessing the behavior and failure mechanisms of ordinary beam/slab/column (BSC) and slab/column (SC) subassemblages of reinforced concrete frames, (2) evaluating the improved seismic performance of lightly reinforced concrete frame systems resulting from the addition of viscoelastic dampers in steel diagonal braces, and (3) verifying the accuracy of an analytical technique to characterize the behavior of lightly reinforced concrete subassemblages with and without viscoelastic-damped braces.; Strength, stiffness, and energy dissipation characteristics of the models were assessed. Existing analytical models were used to characterize the behavior of lightly reinforced concrete subassemblages with and without viscoelastic-damped braces and their results were compared with those from the experiments. The VE dampers were found to be effective in improving the response of the lightly reinforced concrete frames. |
