Influence of loading history on the response of a reinforced concrete beam

Abstract

An investigation considering the influence of loading histories on the performance of a reinforced concrete beam plastic hinge is described. Twelve loading histories were considered, including conventional procedures employed in the United States, Japan and New Zealand, and artificially generated histories derived from recorded earthquake ground motions. Details of the prototype structure and the test beam are described, followed by comprehensive reporting of experimental data. Performance descriptors and further treatment of the experimental data are presented in a companion paper.