Nonlinear dynamic analysis of reinforced concrete shear wall structures

Abstract

During strong ground motions, structural members made of reinforced concrete undergo cyclic deformations and experience permanent damage. Members may lose their initial stiffness as well as strength. Recently, Los Alamos National Laboratory has performed experiments on scale models of shear wall structures subjected to recorded earthquake signals. In general, the results indicated that the measured structural stiffnesses decreased with increased levels of excitation in the linear response region. Furthermore, a significant reduction in strength as well as in stiffness is also observed in the inelastic range. Since the in-structure floor response spectra which are used to design and qualify safety equipment have been based on calculated structural stiffness and frequencies, it is possible that certain safety equipment could experience greater seismic loads than were specified for qualification due to stiffness reduction. In this research, a hysteresis model based on the concept of accumulated damage has been developed to account for this stiffness degradation both in the linear and inelastic ranges. Single and three-degrees-of-freedom seismic Category I structures were analysed and compared with equivalent linear stiffness degradation models in terms of maximum displacement responses, permanent displacement, and floor response spectra. The results indicate significant differences in response between the hysteresis model and equivalent linear stiffness degradation model at PGA levels of greater than 0.8 g. The hysteresis model is used in the analysis of reinforced concrete shear-wall structures to obtain the in-structure response spectra. Results of both cumulative and one shot tests are compared.