Investigation of pounding effect in rc buildings by shake table tests and damage detection based on experimental methods

This thesis aims to determine the pounding behavior of buildings for different pounding scenarios, to examine the effects of pounding damage on the performance of buildings using experimental methods, and to investigate appropriate methods that can be used to reduce the pounding effects with shake table tests. Within the scope of the thesis, half-scale two-dimensional RC test specimens were used considering the capacity of the shake table in the Structural Health Monitoring Laboratory of Karadeniz Technical University. Experimental studies consist of two parts. In the first part, pilot tests were carried out using two RC test specimens to evaluate the suitability of the experimental setup, selected ground motions, and measurement systems. In the second part, pounding tests were carried out by using five RC test specimens, considering different pounding scenarios. In addition, ambient vibration tests were performed before and after each shaking table test and thus dynamic characteristics were identified and experimental damage detection based on experimental methods was carried out. Damage detection methods that take into account changes in frequency and mode shapes were used. As a result of the experiments, it was determined that the pounding significantly increased the structural responses of the RC test specimens, pounding scenarios were effective on the structural damages, and the rubber bumpers used in the collision zones remarkably reduced the structural responses due to the pounding.