Plastic Hinges Modification Factors for Damaged RC Columns

The behavior of damaged buildings can be simulated with a suitable modification of plastic hinges for damaged elements, by means of stiffness and strength degradation and considering possible residual drifts. There exist some proposals in literature that give, depending on damage severity, component modification factors. However, those methods are referred to reinforced concrete (RC) members typically found in North American or Japanese buildings (i.e. walls, piers), which are not representative of under-designed columns typically found in Mediterranean European regions. This paper presents the experimental-based calibration of modification factors for plastic hinges of damaged columns representative of existing buildings with design characteristics nonconforming to present-day seismic provisions.