Experimental and numerical study on progressive collapse process of RC frames with full-height infill walls

• Provide experiment study on progressive collapse of RC frames with infill walls
• Infill walls enhance maximum resistance but reduce ductility of frames.
• Infill walls change the cracks development and failure mode of the frames.
• Numerical analysis on the influences of material parameters of the infill walls

The work presented in this study aimed to investigate the influence of infill walls on the progressive collapse performance of reinforced concrete (RC) frames. An experimental program of a one-third scaled, four-bay by two-story RC frame with full-height infill walls at the second story was conducted. Experimental results indicate that the maximum resistance force and failure mode of the RC frame with full-height infill walls are relevant to the major crack developments in the infill walls. The infill walls behave as equivalent compressive struts during progressive collapse process and can improve the resistance force and initial stiffness but reduce beam ductility and change failure mode of the RC frames. Verification of the test results and material parametric analyses of the test specimen by using finite element (FE) model were conducted to illustrate the factors that influence the behavior of the infilled frame.