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This study describes the effectiveness of the behavior resulting from strengthening infill walls in existing reinforced concrete frame systems with low resistance against earthquake effects using precast concrete panels. In this study, a strengthening method that can be applied without building occupants having to leave the building was investigated. For this purpose, six 1/2 scale, two-story and single span test specimens with brick infill walls and low earthquake resistance, which have common errors seen in existing reinforced concrete buildings, were generated. The first of test frames with equivalent properties was tested as the reference specimen under reversible repeatable lateral loads. Others were tested after high-strength concrete panels produced in different geometric shapes were strengthened by bonding them onto existing frame infill walls. Brick infill walls strengthened using concrete panels were modeled as shell elements by SAP2000 software package and the accuracy of experimental studies were compared with analytical results. Experimental and analytical studies demonstrated that the reinforcement method significantly improved properties, such as resistance to lateral loads, energy dissipation capacity, of brick infill reinforced concrete frames.

Major part of the structural stock in Turkey doesn’t have sufficient endurance, rigidity and ductility against possible large earthquakes. Strengthening of structures against earthquakes always appears on the agenda and structures are being strengthened by using different techniques. In this context, cast in place reinforced concrete shear walls is a highly effective and reliable method for improving the system behavior. However, construction work takes long time in this method, so the structure is required to be emptied before the practice. For this reason, it is required to develop the strengthening methods which facilitates lives of people and which is economic and effective in terms of structure. The principle of the technique recommended in this study is to convert plastered hollow brick walls of the structure to shear walls equivalent to reinforced concretes (RC) by strengthening them with high-strength precast new diagonal concrete panels. For this purpose, a reinforced concrete frame, which is 1/3 scaled, low-strengthened against earthquake, has two-story and single span unreinforced brick infilling wall, has been produced with failures frequently seen especially in concrete buildings of our country as reference sample. Moreover, strengthening three reinforced concrete infilled frame wall having same features with reference sample by new diagonal concrete panels which are precast, high strengths in different shapes used for the first time in the literature, their behaviors under reversible-repeatable horizontal loading simulating earthquake effect have been tested. Results of the experiment have been compared with the analytic study and it has been observed that applied technique has increased the energy dissipation capacity of test elements and improved the earthquake behaviors.