Title: Seismic Tests on Heavyweight Concrete Shear Walls with Wire Ropes as Lateral Reinforcement

Author(s): Ju-Hyun Mun, Keun-Hyeok Yang, and Yongjei Lee

Publication: Structural Journal

Volume: 113

Issue: 4

Appears on pages(s): 664-675

Keywords: ductility; heavyweight concrete; lateral reinforcement; shear wall; wire rope

DOI: 10.14359/51688615

Date: 7/1/2016

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine the practical feasibility of using very strong and flexible wire ropes as an alternative to conventional lateral reinforcement as the boundary elements of overcrowded shear walls to prevent concrete deterioration. An experimental study was conducted on five heavyweight concrete shear wall specimens with barbell-shaped cross sections under a constant axial load and cyclic lateral loads. The configuration and vertical spacing of the wire ropes used for lateral confinement instead of conventional reinforcement were the main parameters in this study. Test results revealed that the shear wall reinforced with wire ropes in its boundary element had better longitudinal reinforcement buckling resistance and ductility behaviors than the conventionally reinforced shear walls. It was also found that the volumetric index for the lateral reinforcement of wire rope in the boundary element should be more than 0.219 to meet the minimum requirement of a curvature ductility ratio of 16 (a displacement ductility ratio of approximately 5.58) for the design of the highly ductile shear wall proposed by Sheikh and Khoury. The lateral load-lateral displacement relationship predicted from the nonlinear two-dimensional laminar approach agreed with the measured backbone curve, and it matched especially well with the ductile behaviors after the maximum flexural capacity.