CYCLIC LOADING TESTS OF SLENDER CONCRETE MASONRY SHEAR WALLS.

Abstract

Three walls, modelling 190 mm thick blockwork walls of four to five stories height to a scale of 1:0. 737 were subjected to cyclic reversals of in-plane displacements at gradually increasing ductility factors, simulating the effects of seismic loading. Variables between walls included axial load level, and whether or not confining plates were placed in the mortar beds in the compression zones of the potential plastic hinge region. Results indicated that the unconfined walls suffered strength degradation at levels of ductility lower than those required by current ductile design practice. Response of the confined wall exhibited greatly improved behaviour compared with an otherwise indentical unconfined wall. In all walls behaviour was significantly, and adversely, affected by the lapping of flexural steel at the wall base. Refs.