{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,31]],"date-time":"2026-01-31T00:42:13Z","timestamp":1769820133832,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,26]],"date-time":"2023-04-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1682467200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Buildings"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Beams with width greater than their depth and depth equal to the depth of the slab (concealed wide beams) are widespread in Reinforced Concrete (RC) buildings in Albania. A large number of RC buildings with wide beams were hit by a strong Mw6.4 earthquake on 26 November 2019. The earthquake hit two of the most densely populated areas in Albania and caused widespread damage to these buildings. This paper aims to provide an updated view on the seismic performance of buildings with wide beams in light of the new field data following the 26 November 2019 Albania earthquake. To this end, a thorough literature review including experimental and field observations from past earthquakes is presented and data from field visits in Albania are described. It was found that damage to the joists and wide beams themselves was limited, even when the buildings suffered significant non-structural or structural damage in other elements as a result of the earthquake. A discussion on the behavior of wide beam\u2013column frames based on nonlinear structural analyses and tests from the literature is presented. Furthermore, the implications of the results of the analysis for the seismic performance of RC buildings are discussed and confronted with observations from the 2019 Albania earthquake. Based on the literature review, further experimental research on wide beams with longer and more realistic span lengths is recommended.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/buildings13051149","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,26]],"date-time":"2023-04-26T04:42:54Z","timestamp":1682484174000},"page":"1149","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Seismic Performance of Reinforced Concrete Buildings with Joist and Wide-Beam Floors during the 26 November 2019 Albania Earthquake"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5464-6294","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Markel","family":"Baball\u00ebku","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Structural Mechanics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic University of Tirana, 1001 Tirana, Albania"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6495-8715","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Brisid","family":"Isufi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"CERIS, 1349-001 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9496-4991","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ant\u00f3nio Pinho","family":"Ramos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"},{"name":"CERIS, 1349-001 Lisbon, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"493","DOI":"10.1080\/13632460601064814","article-title":"Seismic Behavior of RC Wide Beam-Column Connections Under Dynamic Loading","volume":"11","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fardis, M.N. (2009). Seismic Design, Assessment and Retrofitting of Concrete Buildings: Based on EN-Eurocode 8 (Geotechnical, Geological, and Earthquake Engineering, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4020-9842-0"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4014026","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000485","article-title":"Seismic Performance of Wide-Beam Infill-Joist Block RC Frames in Turkey","volume":"29","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Perform. Constr. Facil."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Academy of Science and Construction Ministry (1989). Kusht Teknik Projektimi p\u00ebr Nd\u00ebrtimet Antisizmike\/Seismic Design Code KTP-N.2-89, Ministria e Nd\u00ebrtimit, Akademia e Shkencave, Qendra Sizmologjike."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"253","article-title":"Punching of flat slabs under reversed horizontal cyclic loading","volume":"315","author":"Ramos","year":"2017","journal-title":"ACI Spec. Publ."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1080\/13632460802211941","article-title":"Seismic Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Interior Wide-Beam Column Joints","volume":"13","author":"Kulkarni","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1414","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engstruct.2009.02.008","article-title":"Exterior wide beam\u2013column connections in existing RC frames subjected to lateral earthquake loads","volume":"31","author":"Zahran","year":"2009","journal-title":"Eng. Struct."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"401","DOI":"10.1007\/s10518-009-9144-3","article-title":"Interior wide beam-column connections in existing RC frames subjected to lateral earthquake loading","volume":"8","author":"Vico","year":"2010","journal-title":"Bull. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)0733-9445(2010)136:1(26)","article-title":"Seismic Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Exterior Wide Beam-Column Joints","volume":"136","author":"Li","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Struct. Eng."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engstruct.2017.05.044","article-title":"Exterior RC wide beam-column connections: Effect of beam width ratio on seismic behaviour","volume":"147","author":"Behnam","year":"2017","journal-title":"Eng. Struct."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"675","DOI":"10.1193\/1.1585793","article-title":"Wide Beam-Column Connections under Earthquake-Type Loading","volume":"10","author":"Gentry","year":"1994","journal-title":"Earthq. Spectra"},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"(2004). Eurocode 8: Design of Structures for Earthquake Resistance\u2014Part 1: General Rules, Seismic Actions and Rules for Buildings (Standard No. EN 1998-1)."},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"572","article-title":"Experimental Study of Reinforced Concrete Interior Wide Beam-Column Connections Subjected to Lateral Loading","volume":"98","author":"Wight","year":"2001","journal-title":"ACI Struct. J."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engstruct.2015.04.020","article-title":"Interior RC wide beam-narrow column joints: Potential for improving seismic resistance","volume":"99","author":"Elsouri","year":"2015","journal-title":"Eng. Struct."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.14359\/51718006","article-title":"Effect of Joint Hoops on Seismic Behavior of Wide Beam-Column Joints","volume":"116","author":"Huang","year":"2019","journal-title":"ACI Struct. J."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"34","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engstruct.2014.06.029","article-title":"Reinforced concrete wide and conventional beam-column connections subjected to lateral load","volume":"76","author":"Fadwa","year":"2014","journal-title":"Eng. Struct."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110613","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engstruct.2020.110613","article-title":"Experimental cyclic behavior of code-conforming exterior wide beam-column connections","volume":"214","author":"Pakzad","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eng. Struct."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"04018013","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0001995","article-title":"Exterior RC Wide Beam\u2013Column Connections: Effect of Spandrel Beam on Seismic Behavior","volume":"144","author":"Behnam","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Struct. Eng."},{"key":"ref_19","first-page":"607","article-title":"Behavior of interior narrow and wide beams","volume":"89","author":"Popov","year":"1992","journal-title":"ACI Struct. J."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"577","article-title":"Reinforced Concrete Exterior Wide Beam-Column-Slab Connections Subjected to Lateral Earthquake Loading","volume":"96","author":"Lafave","year":"2000","journal-title":"ACI Struct. J."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"479","DOI":"10.1193\/1.1586185","article-title":"Reinforced Concrete Wide-Beam Construction vs. Conventional Construction: Resistance to Lateral Earthquake Loads","volume":"17","author":"LaFave","year":"2001","journal-title":"Earthq. Spectra"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110238","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engstruct.2020.110238","article-title":"Role of punching shear reinforcement in the seismic performance of flat slab frames","volume":"207","author":"Isufi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eng. Struct."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1171","DOI":"10.1080\/13632469.2020.1713924","article-title":"Post-earthquake Performance of a Slab-Column Connection with Punching Shear Reinforcement","volume":"26","author":"Isufi","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"L\u00facio, V.J.G. (1991). Waffle Slab Structures under Vertical and Horizontal Loading, Universidade T\u00e9cnica de Lisboa."},{"key":"ref_25","unstructured":"Zaharia, R., Taucer, F., Pinto, A., Molina, J., Vidal, V., Coelho, E., and Candeias, P. (2006). Pseudodynamic Earthquake Tests on a Full-Scale RC Flat-Slab Building Structure, JRC Sci Tech Reports, EUR 22192EN."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engstruct.2015.03.025","article-title":"Assessment of the diaphragm condition for floor systems used in urban buildings","volume":"93","year":"2015","journal-title":"Eng. Struct."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"914","DOI":"10.1016\/j.soildyn.2007.10.005","article-title":"Detailed assessment of structural characteristics of Turkish RC building stock for loss assessment models","volume":"28","author":"Bal","year":"2008","journal-title":"Soil Dyn. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_28","unstructured":"Sezen, H., Whittaker, A.S., Elwood, K.J., and Mosalam, K.M. (2000). Structural Engineering Reconnaissance of the 17 August 1999, Kocaeli (Izmit), Turkey, Earthquake, Berkeley."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1007\/s10518-009-9127-4","article-title":"Seismic safety of low ductility structures used in Spain","volume":"8","author":"Vielma","year":"2009","journal-title":"Bull. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engfailanal.2016.05.013","article-title":"Learning from RC building structures damaged by the earthquake in Lorca, Spain, in 2011","volume":"68","author":"Adam","year":"2016","journal-title":"Eng. Fail Anal."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1999","DOI":"10.1007\/s10518-013-9500-1","article-title":"The structural role played by masonry infills on RC building performances after the 2011 Lorca, Spain, earthquake","volume":"12","author":"Verderame","year":"2014","journal-title":"Bull. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"83","DOI":"10.1177\/8755293020936694","article-title":"Overview of collapsed buildings in Mexico City after the 19 September 2017 (Mw7.1) earthquake","volume":"36","author":"Galvis","year":"2020","journal-title":"Earthq. Spectra"},{"key":"ref_33","first-page":"3","article-title":"The September 1985 Mexico earthquakes: Final report of the New Zealand reconnaissance team","volume":"21","author":"Butcher","year":"1988","journal-title":"Bull. N. Z. Natl. Soc. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"EERI (2022). EERI Earthquake Reconnaissance Report\u2014M6.4 Albania Earthquake on 26 November 2019, EERI."},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"Andonov, A., Andreev, S., Freddi, F., Greco, F., Gentile, R., Novelli, V., Veliu, E., and Zhuleku, E. (2020). The Mw6.4 Albania Earthquake on the 26th November 2019\u2014A Field Report by EEFIT, EEFIT."},{"key":"ref_36","unstructured":"Nikoli\u0107-Brzev, S., Marinkovi\u0107, M., Mili\u0107evi\u0107, I., Blagojevi\u0107, N., and Isufi, B. (2020). Posledice Zemljotresa u Albaniji od 26 November 2019. Godine na Objekte i Infrastrukturu (Consequences of the 26 November 2019 Albania Earthquake on Buildings and Infrastructure\u2014In Serbian), Serbian Association for Earthquake Engineering (SUZI-SAEE)."},{"key":"ref_37","unstructured":"Sextos, A., Lekkas, E., Sotiria, S., Georgios, B., Michalis, F., Christos, G., Lombardi, L., Olga, M., Spyridon, M., and Aristo, P. (2020). Albania Earthquake of 26 November 2019 Report on Structural and Geotechnical Damage, Hellenic Association for Earthquake Engineering."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5427","DOI":"10.1007\/s10518-022-01414-y","article-title":"Performance of RC cast-in-place buildings during the 26 November 2019 Albania earthquake","volume":"20","author":"Isufi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Bull. Earthq. Eng."},{"key":"ref_39","unstructured":"Seismosoft (2023, April 19). SeismoStruct\u2014A Computer Program for Static and Dynamic Nonlinear Analysis of Framed Structures. Available online: http:\/\/www.seismosoft.com."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1804","DOI":"10.1061\/(ASCE)0733-9445(1988)114:8(1804)","article-title":"Theoretical Stress-Strain Model for Confined Concrete","volume":"114","author":"Mander","year":"1988","journal-title":"J. Struct. Eng."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"333","DOI":"10.1016\/j.engstruct.2015.12.011","article-title":"Behavior of interior RC wide and conventional beam-column roof joints under cyclic load","volume":"111","author":"Mirzabagheri","year":"2016","journal-title":"Eng. Struct."}],"container-title":["Buildings"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-5309\/13\/5\/1149\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T19:23:23Z","timestamp":1760124203000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-5309\/13\/5\/1149"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,26]]},"references-count":41,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,5]]}},"alternative-id":["buildings13051149"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/buildings13051149","relation":{},"ISSN":["2075-5309"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2075-5309","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,26]]}}}