Ovidius University Annals of Constructions Volume 1, Number 3,4, April.

2002

Nonlinear Analysis of Seismic Behavior of R.C. Shear Walls with Staggered Openings

Marius Moşoarcăa Valeriu Stoiana Mihnea Truţăa

a
Politehnica University of Timisoara, Timişoara, 1900, România
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Abstract: Tall buildings with staggered openings shear walls, have been presented minor damage of the
structural and nonstructural elements under seismic actions. This paper presents the conclusions, resulting from a
nonlinear seismic analysis biographic (push-over) method. Several types of such shear walls have been analyzed
with the specialized computer program BIOGRAF 03 [3]. Ductility and failure mechanism are shown in a
comparative manner taking into account the position of the openings.

Keywords: shear walls, nonlinear analysis, displacement ductility

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1. Introduction 2. The description of analysis method

Du to the fact that reinforced concrete The reinforcement of these walls have been
structural walls are very effective in providing performed using the computer program AXIS VM 5.0
resistance and stiffness against horizontal loads program.
induced by earthquake, they are frequently used in The nonlinear behaviors of shear walls with staggered
aseismic structural design all over the world. openings have been studied, for four wall types with
The aseismic design codes of buildings, have the physical-mechanical characteristics presented in
been permanently completed on the basis of the table 1.
observations, which were made after studying the
behavior of the structural elements of this building
during the earthquakes or by experimental and
numerical studies.
The development of computer programs on
the base of finite elements methodology has
allowed to perform nonlinear static or dynamic
analysis, a fact that has lead to results as for as
ductility on failure mechanism of all structural
element of a building are concerned.
The good seismic behavior of building having
shear walls with staggered openings are due to
rigidity and ductility usually higher to those of
shear walls with regular openings.
Experimental researches works on these shear
walls indicate the fact that ductility of walls and
their failure mechanism are influenced by the
position of the openings and the types of
reinforcement.
Fig.1. Structure discretisation linear anlysis. Oppenig
position
ISSN-12223-7221 © 2000 Ovidius University Press
120 Nonlinear Analysis of Seismic Behavior … / Ovidius University Annals of Constructions 3, 4, 119-126 (2002)

These walls differ in function of the openings

Tabel 1. Geometrical and mechanical positions characterized by angle α and the quantity of
characteristics reinforcement.
The analysis has been performed in two steps:
Geometrical characteristics - step 1 – determination of elastic stresses and
reinforcement using the AXIS VM 5.0 computer
Wall thickness bw = 25 cm program. To evaluate the reinforcement of cracked
Story height hs = 2.60 m zones, due to tension stresses, and the required
Wall length lw = 5.0 m reinforcement of compressed zones where the stresses
are higher than ultimate concrete stress, has been used
Wall height hw = 13.0 m the AXIS VM5.0 computer program. The geometrical
Opening width ld = 1.0 m element of the walls and the discretisation are shown in
Opening height ld = 2.0 m Fig.1.
- step 2 – The behavior of shear walls is
Mechanical characteristics performed with BIOGRAF computer program [3],
Concrete modulus of Eb = using a push-over methodology.
elasticity 3E05daN/cm2
Compression fcd=150daN/cm2 3. Discretization of structure and the non-
strength of concrete linear analysis
Tensile strength of fct = 11daN/cm2 The type of R.C. shear walls used in the analysis
concrete has been obtained through its discretizations in 882
Steel modulus of Es=2,1E06 nodes and 1644 triangular finite elements.
elasticity daN/cm2 In the aim to determinate structural failure the
Yield strength of fy=3000daN/cm2 potential plastic zones has been divided in a larger
steel number of elements. The horizontal forces have been
punctually at the level of every floor, and the vertical
forces have been applied in every node (Fig. 2.).
Δ The walls reinforcements do not respect the
technological rules because the aim of study is to
(+ ) (-) compare only the behavior of different types of shear
walls.
In the aim to of analyzing the behavior of walls at
horizontal forces, the direction of these actions have
also been changed acting from left or right directions.
The method of analysis is based on progressive
reduction of seismic forces and it wants to determine
the ductility and the types of failure of these walls. The
seismic forces applied to studied shear walls
correspond to a building with five levels.
The reduction of reinforced area has been made
by multiplication of seismic forces calculated in the
elastic domain with R factor. The R factor have had the
following values: R=1; 0.5; 0.33; 0.25; 0.20.
In order to obtained some proportional graphics the q
factor has been used in the representations: Eq.(1).

Fig.2. Structure discretisation and loads in 1

nonlinear analysis q= (1)
R
 E. Mosoarca et al. / Ovidius University Annals of Constructions 3, 4, 119-126 (2002) 121
As a result of the reduction of steel ratio on
the basis of the presented method of analysis 35
different types of shear walls have been analyzed.
The displacement ductility :) is calculate with
Eq. (2):

Δy
:) = (2)
Δc
where:
Fig.4 Comparative diagrams of displacement ductility
)y - is horizontal top displacement of the R.C. for α = 45˚
shear walls at the beginning of reinforcement
yielding;
)c - is horizontal top displacement of the R.C.
shear walls the for crushing of concrete.

On the basis of the values of the displacement

ductility calculated, the values of the R factor have
been determined in concordance with Romanian
Seismic Cod R100/92 Eq. (3)

1
Θ= (3)
2μ Δ − 1 Fig.5 Comparative diagrams of displacement ductility
for α = 45˚
4. Results

4.1. Rigidity reduction

The behavior of shear walls has been

exanimate by following the horizontal displacement
of the top of walls.
The most favorable behavior is obtained for
q=2 to 3. Generally one can see that the rigidity of
staggered openings is higher than the rigidity of
coupled shear walls.
Fig.6 Comparative diagrams of displacement ductility
for α = 32˚

Fig.3 Comparative diagrams of displacement

ductility for α = 90˚ Fig.7 Comparative diagrams of displacement
122 Nonlinear Analysis of Seismic Behavior … / Ovidius University Annals of Constructions 3, 4, 119-126 (2002)

Fig.10 Comparative diagram of displacement ductility

for α = 90˚

Fig.8 Comparative diagrams of displacement

Fig.11 Comparative diagram of displacement ductility

for α = 45˚

Fig.9 Comparative diagrams of displacement

ductility for α = 18˚

4.2. Displacement ductility

Figure 10 present the displacement ductility

for coupled shear walls with regular openings (α =
90˚) and Fig. 11-16, the same ductility for different
ductility for different angles (α = 45˚; 32˚; 18˚) and Fig.12 Comparative diagram of displacement ductility
for different directions of seismic loads. One can for α = 45˚
see that the maximum ductility is obtained for q = 3
to 4 in function of direction of seismic loads.
 E. Mosoarca et al. / Ovidius University Annals of Constructions 3, 4, 119-126 (2002)
Fig.13 Comparative diagram of displacement
ductility for α = 32˚
Fig.14 Comparative diagram of displacement
ductility for α = 32˚
Fig.15 Comparative diagram of displacement
ductility for α = 18˚
123
Fig.16 Comparative diagram of displacement ductility
for α = 18˚
4.3. Yielding modes
From the point of view of the yielding mode,
indifferent of the type of reinforcement or the position
of openings, all the structural walls with staggered
openings register a ductile behavior by yielding of the
reinforcements before the concrete crushing.
Generally speaking, first of the reinforcements
who reached yielding for α=90° and α=45° was the
vertical reinforcements in the zone of openings of the
first floor. By the measure of the reduction of the
vertical areas of reinforcement (q=3, 4, 5), the
reinforcements at the base of the walls reached the
flow limit.
The yield stresses of the horizontal
reinforcements on the floors level is registered at
structural walls with values of α angle α=32° and
α=18°. The yielding of horizontal bars at the level of
slabs occurs for the walls with opening angles of
α=45° and 18°. For high quantity of horizontal bars the
yielding is produced in the bars corresponding to the
slab over the level 1. By reducing this quantity, the
yielding occurs on the bars corresponding to the slab
over the level 2.
The yielding of the reinforcements in the
structural walls with staggered openings is produced in
all the cases at higher horizontal forces than those of
the structural walls with ordinary openings, the biggest
forces being registered for α=32°. The values of the
horizontal displacements at the top of the walls for
yielding of reinforcements are direct proportionally
with the values of α angle. There are not high
differences between these values for q=1, 2, 3.
From the point of view of the failure of concrete
it must noticed that the crush is produced at
approximately the same values for the horizontal
124 Nonlinear Analysis of Seismic Behavior … / Ovidius University Annals of Constructions 3, 4, 119-126 (2002)

forces between 36000 daN and 42000 daN for q=1, of structural walls is presented in P-Δ diagrams (Fig.
2, 3. The force that produces the concrete crush of 17-20).
all types of walls is increasing proportionally with
the α angle value. The seismic nonlinear behavior

Table 2. Nonlinear analysis results

q α° Seismic force Pel [daN] Δ el [cm] Py Δy Pmin crushing Δ min crushing Ductility Ψ

left (+) right (-) (+) (-) (+) (-) [daN] [cm] [daN] [cm] min μ Δ
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
90 SW 1 SW 1 12678 12678 0,080 0,080 91237 3,90 111270 3,90 2,55 0,49
45 SW2 SW3 14517 13788 0,080 0,070 93340 3,48 109644 3,48 2,20 0,54
q=1 32 SW4 SW5 14270 13576 0,089 0,076 93128 2,95 114424 2,95 1,53 0,70
18 SW6 SW7 13740 12920 0,095 0,076 93281 2,87 120974 2,87 1,65 0,66
90 SW21 SW21 12897 12897 0,086 0,086 49827 1,06 76149 1,06 6,95 0,28
45 SW22 SW23 20549 23283 0,120 0,130 53144 1,82 72408 1,15 3,59 0,40
q=2 32 SW24 SW25 19078 23522 0,120 0,130 56525 1,70 75455 1,87 1,52 0,70
18 SW26 SW27 16434 20801 0,110 0,130 59847 1,71 79293 1,71 1,93 0,59
90 SW31 SW31 12725 12725 0,086 0,086 40616 0,88 57901 0,88 6,49 0,29
45 SW32 SW33 18837 18672 0,110 0,110 41849 0,90 60084 0,90 6,91 0,28
q=3 32 SW34 SW35 17410 18095 0,110 0,110 39801 0,70 63272 0,70 7,49 0,27
18 SW36 SW37 15190 16348 0,112 0,107 36797 0,56 69402 0,56 8,64 0,25
90 SW41 SW41 12643 12643 0,080 0,080 38177 0,92 55069 0,92 9,82 0,23
45 SW42 SW43 15205 15082 0,096 0,088 38652 0,70 50560 0,94 5,97 0,30
q=4 32 SW44 SW45 14318 14754 0,094 0,087 39852 0,77 55172 0,77 6,62 0,29
18 SW46 SW47 12678 13639 0,095 0,087 36246 0,58 57636 0,58 6,09 0,30
90 SW51 SW51 13067 13067 0,086 0,086 38308 0,96 55005 0,96 16,48 0,18
45 SW52 SW53 12573 12560 0,080 0,073 38489 0,84 47910 1,05 4,90 0,34
q=5 32 SW54 SW55 12000 12287 0,080 0,072 41751 1,67 49666 1,67 2,65 0,48
18 SW56 SW57 10744 11425 0,082 0,072 38926 0,78 56013 0,78 3,31 0,42
E. Mosoarca et al. / Ovidius University Annals of Constructions 3, 4, 119-126 (2002) 125

Fig.17 Comparative P-Δ diagram α = 90˚

Fig.18 Comparative P-Δ diagram α = 45˚

Fig.19 Comparative P-Δ diagram α = 32˚

126 Nonlinear Analysis of Seismic Behavior … / Ovidius University Annals of Constructions 3, 4, 119-126 (2002)

Fig.20 Comparative P-Δ diagram α = 18˚

4. Conclusion 5. Acknowledgments

On the base of results previously presented
concerning the seismic non-linear behaviors of the
structural walls with staggered openings one can take
the following conclusions:
-rigidity of shear walls with staggered openings
is higher than the coupled shear walls rigidity;
-they realize a ductile behavior, without special
measures of reinforcement in the potential plastic
zones.
-the shears walls with staggered openings have
higher capacity of seismic energy dissipation.
-the beginning of steel yielding occurs at the
seismic forces higher than the one corresponding to
coupled shear walls for the same horizontal top
displacements.
We wish to thank to the office design
S.C. H.I. STRUCT s.r.l. for the technical support
and the help to present the graphical representation of
the results.
6. Bibliography
[1] Moşoarcă M., Stoian V., Comportarea
diafragmelor cu goluri decalate la acţiuni
seismice.2001, Simpozion Zilele Academice, vol. 7,
pag 297-304, e-mail: histruct@dnttm.ro
[2] Axis 5.0V.M. C., Manual de utilizare, 2000.
[3] Stoian V., Clipii T.; Proiectare asistată de
calculator în construcţii. Partea II; Timişoara 1995