Experimental Research on the Seismic Performance of Rammed Earth Walls Reinforced with Ring Beams and Structural Columns

ZHANG Liangyi; ZHOU Tiegang

doi:10.3724/j.gyjzG25090503

Volume 56 Issue 10

Oct. 2026

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ZHANG Liangyi, ZHOU Tiegang. Experimental Research on the Seismic Performance of Rammed Earth Walls Reinforced with Ring Beams and Structural Columns[J]. INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION, 2026, 56(10): 58-69. doi: 10.3724/j.gyjzG25090503

Citation:

ZHANG Liangyi, ZHOU Tiegang. Experimental Research on the Seismic Performance of Rammed Earth Walls Reinforced with Ring Beams and Structural Columns[J]. INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION, 2026, 56(10): 58-69. doi: 10.3724/j.gyjzG25090503

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Experimental Research on the Seismic Performance of Rammed Earth Walls Reinforced with Ring Beams and Structural Columns

doi: 10.3724/j.gyjzG25090503

ZHANG Liangyi¹,
ZHOU Tiegang^{2
,
,}

1. College of Civil Engineering and Transportation Engineering, Yellow River Conservancy Technical University, Kaifeng 475004, China;
2. College of Civil Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, China

Received Date: 2025-09-05
Available Online: 2026-11-06

Abstract

Abstract

To enhance the seismic performance of rammed earth structures， quasi-static tests were conducted on four rammed earth wall specimens in this study to investigate the influence of a ring beam-structural column system on their seismic performance（including one control wall， W1）. In addition， by varying the material types of the structural columns， the effects of steel tubular columns， concrete-filled steel tubular columns， and reinforced concrete columns on the seismic performance of rammed earth walls were analyzed. The test results indicated that the ring beam-structural column system significantly enhanced the bearing capacity， deformation capacity， ductility， initial stiffness， energy dissipation capacity， and ground peak acceleration of rammed earth walls. This reinforcement system also altered the failure mode from shear to flexural-shear composite， thereby effectively preventing brittle failure. Among the three column types tested， concrete-filled steel tube columns demonstrated the most pronounced enhancement effect. Finally， a calculation formula for the shear capacity of rammed earth walls reinforced with ring beams and structural columns was proposed， with discrepancies between the calculated and experimental values controlled within 12%.
- rammed earth wall,
- quasi-static test,
- ring beam-structural column,
- shear capacity,
- seismic performance

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References(43)

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