Shaking table tests of granite cladding with dowel pin connection.

Shaking table tests are conducted to investigate the seismic performance of new steel dowel-pinned granite claddings with two support systems. Standard and modified body anchors are used for installing the granite cladding system on opposite sides of a strong reinforced concrete tube fixed to the shaking table. One recorded ground motion (El Centro) and two artificial motions are applied as the input motions. The whole cladding system remained intact and almost no visible damage was observed for El Centro. However, the seismic responses of the cladding system under the effect of the artificial motions were larger. The dynamic response of the standard body anchors was larger than that of the modified ones. The maximum component amplification factors are larger than those specified in current code provisions. It is noted that the load bearing capacity of the body anchors determines the seismic performance of the global granite cladding system. Therefore, additional measures should be taken to guarantee the required seismic capacity of the stone cladding system by using the proposed steel dowel pin connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]