RC Beam-Column joints, discussion of the provisions in the second generation Eurocode 8

This paper reviews the provisions given in the draft of the second-generation Eurocode 8 (EC8) for the design and assessment of RC beam-column joint against seismic conditions. The analytical bases were recently published by Michael Fardis. A critical discussion of the analytical models, supported by a numerical example, is given. Validation against an independent database of exterior joints is made. A final comparison with respect to (i) current EC8 provisions and (ii) other Building Codes is presented.