Material Property Uncertainties versus Joint Structural Detailing: Relative Effect on the Seismic Fragility of Reinforced Concrete Frames

This paper investigates the relative effect of material properties and structural details in the joint panels on the seismic fragility of existing reinforced concrete (RC) frames. Five building classes with different structural details (particularly in the joint panels) and material characteristics are defined according to different past design codes, for a three-story and a six-story archetype geometry. Based on nonlinear static or nonlinear dynamic analysis procedures, results from the study show that the effect of structural details on seismic fragility of the considered structures is negligible for damage states involving an essentially elastic behavior. Conversely, it is much higher for life-safety and near-collapse damage states, and it is considerably higher than the effect due to materials. Therefore, in the diagnosis phase, higher emphasis should be given to on-site investigations of actual reinforcement content/layout rather than to invasive material testing. The uncertainty related to the structural details described here is practically related to exterior, rather than interior, joint panels. Cover removal for one of those joints may potentially eliminate this specific uncertainty. As a practical action, in situ testing of RC frames should involve the cover removal of at least one exterior joint panel regardless of the required target “level of knowledge” of the existing structure.