Full-Scale Tests on Seismic Behavior of RC Frames Infilled with Hollow Bricks

In order to study the seismic behavior of RC frames infilled by hollow bricks, full-scale tests of one-story single-bay hollow bricks infilled frame structure and one-story single-bay hollow bricks infilled frame structure with the opening under low cyclic reversed loading were carried out. Then, the indexes were studied including failure modes, load-displacement hysteretic loops, skeleton curves, bear capacity, displacement ductility, energy dissipation, strength degradation and rigidity degradation. Besides, according to test data from the literatures on one-story single-bay hollow bricks infilled frame structure, the reduction formulae for describing the effects of the openings on strength and rigidity degradation were also proposed. The experimental results show that the peak load of the frame without window and door is increased by 70% at early loading stage in contrast to the frame with window and door, and the peak loads of two structures will become much closer after story drift ratio reaches 1%. It can be found that the openings in infills reduce the ultimate bearing capacity, whereas the structural deformation capacity improves greatly. As a result, the damage of infills lessens.