An investigation considering the influence of loading histories on the performance of a reinforced concrete beam plastic hinge is described. Twelve loading histories were considered, including conventional procedures employed in the United States, Japan and New Zealand, and artificially generated histories derived from recorded earthquake ground motions. Details of the prototype structure and the test beam are described, followed by comprehensive reporting o f experimental data. Performance descriptors and further treatment of the experimental data are presented in a companion paper.

This paper outlines the background to a variety of parameters that are considered in order to establish their suitability as performance descriptors. This assessment is made in conjunction with data collected from twelve tests on nominally identical beam plastic hinges that were tested using different loading histories. Candidate descriptors are categorised as those that consider displacements and those based on damage. A suite of damage indices is also considered. Preliminary comments are made regarding the response comparison of tests conducted using different loading histories.