RC U-shaped walls subjected to in-plane, diagonal, and torsional loading: New experimental findings. (15th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hoult, Ryan; Beyer, Katrin
• Is Part Of: Engineering structures. Volume 233(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-04-15
• Subjects: Structural engineering -- Periodicals; Structural analysis (Engineering) -- Periodicals; Construction, Technique de la -- Périodiques; Génie parasismique -- Périodiques; Pression du vent -- Périodiques; Earthquake engineering; Structural engineering; Wind-pressure; Periodicals; 624.105
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.111873
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0141-0296

Abstract

Highlights: Longitudinal strain profiles showed a yielding length of approximately 1200 mm. Equivalent plastic hinge lengths were approximately half of the yielding length. The longitudinal strains at the base of these walls showed some shear lag effects. Strains correlated with theory for a section governed by warping torsion. Out-of-plane deformations were observed to be concentrated within a small region. Abstract: Although reinforced concrete U-shaped walls are popular in construction practice internationally, there is a paucity of experimental research investigating the seismic performance of such salient elements. The present paper summarizes an experimental campaign on two slender U-shaped reinforced concrete walls detailed with a single-layer of reinforcement. State-of-the-art instrumentation was used to capture the three-dimensional displacement field of the wall surfaces using digital image correlation techniques. Experimental findings are presented, including strain profiles, equivalent plastic hinge lengths, longitudinal strains at the base, cracking distributions and widths, and out-of-plane deformations. Approximately half of the yielding zone length was found to be equal to the equivalent plastic hinge lengths, which were found to decrease as a function of drift. The longitudinal strains at the base of these walls showed some shear lag effects when subjected to in-plane or diagonal loading. For most directions of loading, the largest crack widths were found to be associated with flexural-shear or shear cracks. When subjected to a pure torque, the vertical strain distribution at the base of the wall correlated with the theoretical distribution for an open section governed by warping torsion. The out-of-plane deformations were primarily concentrated within a small region towards the ends of the flanges prior to the local buckling failures that were observed experimentally.