Effective Stiffness of Reinforced Concrete Low-Rise Walls under Lateral Displacement Reversals

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Title: Effective Stiffness of Reinforced Concrete Low-Rise Walls under Lateral Displacement Reversals

Author(s): Min-Yuan Cheng and Basyaruddin

Publication: Structural Journal

Volume: 123

Issue: 4

Appears on pages(s): 191-204

Keywords: bar-slip; effective stiffness; flexure; low-rise wall; shear; sliding

DOI: 10.14359/51749409

Date: 7/1/2026

Abstract:
This study investigates the effective stiffness of reinforced concrete (RC) low-rise walls with a shear span-length ratio between 0.5 and 1.5. Based on different mechanisms, the wall’s overall deformation is separated into four components: flexural, shear, bar-slip, and base sliding. Ten specimens, with exterior deformation measured using a densely arranged optional instrumentation system, were selected to study the key parameters that affect the effective stiffness of each deformation component. Accordingly, a model is proposed for each deformation component, and a database comprising test results from an additional 25 specimens is developed to validate the proposed models.

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