Abstract
In the present paper, the postcracking strength of an RC shear wall element which follows the construction practices applied in Greece during the 70s is examined by taking into account the complex geometry of the crack of the wall and the mixed friction-plastification mechanisms that develop in the vicinity of the crack. Due to the significance of the crack geometry, a multiresolution analysis based on fractal geometry is performed, taking into account the size of the aggregates of concrete. The materials (steel and concrete) are assumed to have elastic-plastic behaviour. For concrete, both cracking and crushing are taken into account in an accurate manner. On the interfaces of the crack, unilateral contact and friction conditions are assumed to hold. For every structure corresponding to each resolution of the interface, a classical Euclidean problem is solved. The obtained results lead to interesting conclusions concerning the influence of the simulation of the geometry of the fractal crack on the mechanical interlock between the two faces of the crack, a factor which seems to be very important to the postcracking strength of the lightly reinforced shear wall studied here.
Highlights
Many RC structures are facing a number of challenges, that is, earthquakes, hurricanes, and so forth, which may threaten their safety and serviceability
The aim of this paper is to study how the resolution of a fractal crack F affects the strength of a reinforced concrete shear wall element
Starting from the case of the uncracked wall, it must be mentioned that the value of the vertical loading plays a significant role
Summary
Many RC structures are facing a number of challenges, that is, earthquakes, hurricanes, and so forth, which may threaten their safety and serviceability. Modern structures built in seismic prone areas are designed to have significant bending and shear strength and ductility. Existing structures designed according to earlier versions of the seismic codes and constructed using low strength materials usually have inadequate shear strength. Shear cracks appear in the shear wall elements of these structures reducing their overall capacity. Crack width is commonly used as a convenient indicator of damage to RC elements, but it should be noted that the distribution and the geometry of the cracks are important in measuring the extent of damage presented in the structure [1, 2] and in calculating the residual strength of it
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