Novel Ductile Enhancement in the Structural Characteristics of External Beam Column Joint with Potassium-Activated Green Concrete Technology

Ductility and energy dissipation capacity of the beam column joints are the two prominent characteristics which govern the stability of the entire structure constructed in the seismic prone areas. In this paper, the effect of potassium-activated geopolymer concrete in the exterior beam column joint application is investigated under low frequency cyclic loading. Numerical analysis has been done by using the finite element software Abaqus and compared with the experimental work. From the load deformation relationship, parametric studies are carried out in the aspects of ductility, stiffness degradation, energy dissipation capacity, drift ratio and cracking pattern. The use of potassium-activated geopolymer technology in the exterior beam column joint application resulted in the improved ductility, energy dissipation capacity with superior ultimate load carrying capacity of 1.05% over conventional cement reinforced concrete beam column joints with special confining reinforcement confirmed by IS 13920 due to the enormous polymerization activated by high molecular potassium ions. There is an improved energy dissipation capacity of 2.78% of potassium-based geopolymer specimen resulting in lesser number of non-structural cracks and 11.26% more deformation under 11.96% enlarged drift ratio than the conventional reinforced concrete specimen. From the observed results, it is clearly noted that the implementation of potassium-activated green polymer technology in the beam column joints possessed enhanced ductility characteristics to protect the structure susceptible to seismic environment and resulted in innovative, economical and sustainable mode of seismic-resistant building construction.