Students’ Project

Concrete Coupling Beams

Baha’a Al-Khateeb worked with Dr. Christopher Motter on a research project to study the effect of axial restraint on reinforced concrete coupling beam behavior. The research project involves testing eight half-scale coupling beams under cyclic loading with various levels of axial restraint. Test results will be used to characterize the influence of axial restraint on coupling beam strength and deformation capacity and to provide data for calibration of numerical models. Results will also be used to assess and refine current provisions in ACI 318-19 for coupling beam design.