Behavior of concrete and ECC structures under simulated earthquake motion

The objective of the research presented in this paper is to investigate, experimentally, the effect of material- and section-level parameters on the structural response of concrete and engineered cementitious composite (ECC) buildings. In addition to testing of columns under monotonic, cyclic, and static-time history loading, hybrid simulation of structural frames is conducted. Stiffness, strength, ductility, and energy absorption capacity are selected as the response measures that represent the behavior of structures under seismic actions. The investigated variables are reinforcement ratios, ECC material properties, and axial load levels. The results are proposed as basic guidelines to determine the performance enhancement in terms of stiffness, strength, ductility, and energy absorption capacity, which could be achieved by replacing concrete with the high-performance material ECC.