BEHAVIOUR OF REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAMS UNDER CYCLIC LOADING.

Abstract

The behavior of beams in which plastic hinges are formed under cyclic loading is examined. Results are reported of five beam tests, in which the shear stress level was varied. It is shown that even relatively low shear stress levels have a significant influence on bbehavior. Two main effects of shear are to reduce the ability of the hinge to dissipate energy and to reduce the stiffness of the beams at low load levels. The degradation in shear under cyclic loading is accompanied by an appreciable growth in length of the beam.