As part of the SDII effort full-scale diaphragm testing is being conducted at the STReSS Laboratory at Northeastern University to investigate the behavior of a composite deck diaphragm system subjected to cyclic loading, simulating the response due to an earthquake. The specimens are approximately 20’ x 30’ with a 6.25” thick lightweight concrete composite deck. These tests explore the progression of damage in the region of the collectors, the chords, and the in-plane response of the diaphragm, as well as investigating how the steel framing and concrete deck affect the force transfer through a diaphragm. These specimens provide the next in the progression of scale for SDII investigations into concrete-filled steel diaphragms – we began with interface tests, then extended to cantilever tests which are still ongoing, and now will work on full building bay testing.
