In this research, reinforced concrete (RC) and strain-hardening cementitious composite (SHCC) columns subjected to lateral loads combined with a constant load were investigated, both by experiments and predictions, with two distributed inelastic finite element models established by the stiffness and flexibility formulations. SHCC applied in the column plastic hinge region could not only enhance the lateral load and displacement capacities of columns but also offer effective advantages in the control of bending and shear cracks induced by multiple microcracks, the prevention of the spalling of cover concrete, and the resistance to buckling of steel bars. With the layered cross-sectional approach using constitutive laws of SHCC considering a proposed model of the post-cracked high-ductile tensile characteristics, as well as concrete and reinforcing steel bars, an inelastic beam-column finite element model was presented with a distributed flexibility formulation. In comparison with experiments concerning the RC and reinforced strain-hardening cementitious composite (R-SHCC) columns, the current flexibility method showed relatively accurate estimations in the lateral load and displacement responses of column systems as well as in localized nonlinear responses of cross-section as estimated in axial strains of longitudinal reinforcing steel bars. In comparison with the stiffness method, the current flexibility method gave more accurate solutions at both element and structural levels, as manifested in the experiments and analysis solutions.
Keywords: SHCC; concrete column; fiber cementitious composites; flexibility formulation.