Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis of RC Shear Walls with Diagonal Web Reinforcement

Shear walls are used extensively in high-and medium-rise buildings to resist lateral loads induced by earthquake. The seismic performance of many buildings is , therefore, closely, involved to the behavior of the reinforced concrete shear walls. Shear failure of a shear wall during an earthquake has been documented by the results of laboratory tests. Walls display pinched histeresis curves and may exhibit a sudden loss in lateral load capacity due to web crushing. Nevertheless, most design procedures for shear walls ignore due to web crushing . Nevertheless , most design procedures for shear walls ignore these key aspects of the nonlinear response. In this paper, nonlinear finite element method is used to study the behavior of reinforced concrete shear walls subjected to lateral load. The analytical models used in this paper were developed specifically to study the push-over response of reinforced concrete shear walls, and may be used to investigate the influence of web reinforcement on laterally loaded shear walls. Material models for concrete and reinforcing steel that are capable of reproducing the features of nonlinear response of walls are also discussed . The models ore validated by comparing the analytical results with the experimental results of shear walls tested by Vecchio and Palermo. Emphasis is placed on selecting web reinforcement to minimize the likelihood of shear failure. Diagonal reinforcement in the web is identified as an efficient means of limiting shear distortion and reducing the likelihood of shear failures in shear walls.