Experimental Study on Seismic Performance of Partially Corroded Squat RC Shear Walls in Coastal Environment

Abstract

In coastal environments, squat reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls are susceptible to local accumulation of moisture and chloride salts, causing local corrosion in the shear walls, which in turn affects their seismic performance. Four squat RC shear wall specimens were designed considering the corrosion locations and the heights of the corroded area. The seismic performance of partially corroded squat RC shear wall specimens was analyzed through a quasi-static test. The results show that as the height of the corroded area increases from 15% to 25% of the total height, the area of the hysteresis loop of the shear walls obviously decreases. As the height of the corroded area increases from 0 to 15% and 25% of the total height, the peak and ultimate displacements of shear walls are, respectively, reduced by 6.7% and 19.2% in the positive loading direction, and are, respectively, reduced by 22.3% and 18.3% in the negative loading direction. Compared with the unilateral corroded shear wall, the area of the hysteresis loop and the stiffness of the bilateral corroded shear wall remain approximately unchanged, and the peak and ultimate displacements, the shear strain, and the ratio of shear deformation to horizontal displacement are reduced. Compared with the uncorroded shear wall, the hysteresis loop of the unilateral corroded shear wall is plump, the displacement ductility ratio and the plastic rotation angle are both increased, and the stiffness degradation is relatively slow.