Numerical Modelling of Reinforced Concrete Slender Walls Subjected to Coupled Axial Tension\u2013Flexure

Xiaowei Cheng,Haoyou Zhang

doi:10.1186/s40069-021-00471-y

Xiaowei Cheng, Haoyou Zhang

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40069-021-00471-y

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Abstract

Under strong earthquakes, reinforced concrete (RC) walls in high-rise buildings, particularly in wall piers that form part of a coupled or core wall system, may experience coupled axial tension–flexure loading. In this study, a detailed finite element model was developed in VecTor2 to provide an effective tool for the further investigation of the seismic behaviour of RC walls subjected to axial tension and cyclic lateral loading. The model was verified using experimental data from recent RC wall tests under axial tension and cyclic lateral loading, and results showed that the model can accurately capture the overall response of RC walls. Additional analyses were conducted using the developed model to investigate the effect of key design parameters on the peak strength, ultimate deformation capacity and plastic hinge length of RC walls under axial tension and cyclic lateral loading. On the basis of the analysis results, useful information were provided when designing or assessing the seismic behaviour of RC slender walls under coupled axial tension–flexure loading.

Highlights

Shear walls are typically the major lateral load-carrying structures in high-rise buildings
6 Conclusions A detailed finite element model (FEM) was developed to simulate the cyclic behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) walls under coupled axial tension–flexure
The study was extended to investigate the effect of important design parameters, including normalised reinforcement tensile stress, vertically and horizontally distributed reinforcement, boundary longitudinal reinforcement, concrete strength and shear-tospan ratios

Summary

Introduction

Shear walls are typically the major lateral load-carrying structures in high-rise buildings. Some reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls may be subjected to combined axial tensile forces and shear forces. In such a critical loading condition, RC walls are susceptible to substantial structural damage and failure, as observed in the collapse of Alto Rio apartment in the 2010 Chile earthquake (Kato et al, 2010). The collapsed Alto Rio apartment was composed of RC shear walls, with 15 stories aboveground and two stories of basement. Significant fracture of longitudinal rebar was observed in the bottom shear walls, indicating that the collapse of the Alto Rio apartment was attributed to combined. The slender wall ( named as “highaspect-ratio wall”) is usually defined for walls having

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