Pacific Earthquake Engineering

Abstract

This study investigates an effective modeling approach that integrates important material characteristics and behavioral response features (e.g., neutral axis migration, tension stiffening, gap closure, and nonlinear shear behavior) for a reliable prediction of reinforced concrete (RC) wall response. A wall macro-model was improved by implementing refined constitutive relations for materials and by incorporating a methodology that couples shear and flexural response components. Detailed calibration of the model and comprehensive correlation studies were conducted to compare the model results with test results for slender walls with rectangular and T-shaped cross sections, as well as for short walls with varying shear-span ratios. Flexural response predictions of the analytical model for slender walls compare favorably with experimental responses for flexural capacity, stiffness, and deformability, although some significant variation is noted for local compressive strains. For T-shaped walls, model predictions are reasonably good, although the model can not capture the longitudinal strains along the flange. The coupled shear-flexure model captures reasonably well the measured responses of short walls with relatively large shear-span ratios (e.g., 1.0 and 0.69). Better response predictions can be obtained for walls with lower shear-span ratios upon improving the model assumptions related to the distribution of stresses and strains in short walls.