Cyclic loading tests simulating the effects of a severe earthquake were conducted on an interior reinforced concrete beam-column joint. The unit had been designed according to
the requirements of the draft (1980) SANZ concrete design code except that the horizontal shear reinforcement in the joint core was deliberately made only 78% of that required by the draft SANZ code. The joint core hoops commenced to yield in the first loading run up to the beam flexural strength and with subsequent loading runs degradation of stiffness and strength occurred due to damage concentrating in the joint core. It
was evident that the draft SANZ code is not conservative in its approach to the design of shear reinforcement for interior reinforced concrete beam-column joints.