Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Infill Walls on the Structural Response of RC Frames

Abstract

The work presented herein sets out to investigate numerically, by means of nonlinear finite element analysis, the effect of un-reinforced concrete or masonry infill walls on the overall structural response of reinforced concrete frames under static monotonic and seismic loading. For this purpose, a nonlinear finite element package purpose built for the analysis of concrete structures is employed in order to predict the nonlinear behaviour of both the infill walls as well as the surrounding frame. Specifically, the dynamic response of a bare two-storey, one-bay frame, whose behaviour has been experimentally established in the past through shake-table testing, is first investigated via nonlinear finite element analysis. Subsequently, concrete and masonry walls are introduced into the selected frame in order to investigate numerically how important aspects of structural response such as stiffness, load-carrying capacity, deformation profile, cracking, ductility and mode of failure of the frame are affected.