Testing structural concrete beam elements

A method for testing structural concrete beam and column elements subjected to axial load, bending moment and shear is described. The information presented includes: the test set-up, with particular emphasis on how the loads are applied using a combination of hydraulic actuators and rigid links connected to a yoke at each end of the specimen; the specimen boundary conditions which were designed to reduce the shear transferred by strut action; as well as highlights from the first 17 tests which involved monotonic shear, reverse cyclic shear and reverse cyclic axial load on beam elements up to 350 mm×700 mm in cross-section.