Experimental Study of RC Frame with EPS infilled Wall under Lateral Force

Abstract

This study investigates the lateral load behavior of three types of full-scale reinforced concrete (RC) frames under lateral loading. The tested frames include (1) an RC frame without infill material, (2) an RC frame with masonry infill, and (3) an RC frame with expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam infill. The experimental procedure involved gradually applying lateral force at the top beam of the frame while measuring its deformation in the direction of the applied force and observing damage at different loading levels. The results indicate that the RC frame without infill material exhibited the lowest stiffness and underwent the largest deformation under lateral loading. The presence of masonry infill significantly enhanced both the stiffness and lateral load resistance of the frame. Specifically, the RC frame with masonry infill was capable of withstanding approximately twice the lateral load capacity of the frame without infill while also exhibiting significantly reduced lateral deformation. Similarly, the EPS foam infill improved the lateral load resistance to a comparable extent, with the frame supporting approximately twice the lateral load of the non-infilled frame. However, the stiffness of the EPS-infilled frame was lower than that of the masonry-infilled frame, although the EPS material was considerably lighter.