Analysis of Shear Wall Systems Using Plane Stress Elements

Abstract

Finite element method takes advantage of robust methodology or analysis of different types of structures, particularly the tall buildings. Accordingly, a number of displacement and strain-based finite element approaches have been developed in various fields of civil engineering. However, many lower-order finite element methods still encounter analytical drawbacks dealing with analysis of tall buildings. The absence of an appropriate in-plane rotational stiffness in some of the lower-order finite element analysis methods and the existence of parasitic shear effects in the governing displacement functions are counted as the most effective factors which are likely to emerge within analysis of tall buildings. In this respect, finite element approach is presented in this paper, which is capable of incorporating the stiffness of all lateral load-resisting systems. Furthermore, as the horizontal strains are ignored in all elevation levels of the element, a uniform lateral displacement pattern is obtained for the proposed panel element. This panel-type element is a strain-based element including eight degrees of freedom which has been formulated according to the general behaviour of beam element. Consequently, in order to validate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed approach, a number of numerical analyses are performed.