Experimental Assessment of Inadequately Detailed Reinforced Concrete Wall Components

Abstract

An experimental study undertaken to assess the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) walls constructed prior to the introduction of seismic design requirements in the New Zealand Standard Model Building By-law is presented. The geometric characteristics and material properties of the test specimens were replicated from those of an existing building. The primary test variables considered were wall thickness, magnitude of applied axial compressive load, and aspect ratio. In addition, the influence of the longitudinal reinforcing bar splices, which are positioned in locations that are not permitted by current design standards, on the seismic performance of the walls was investigated. The response of the test specimens was dominated by rocking, after yielding of the longitudinal reinforcing bars located adjacent to the boundaries of the walls occurred. The peak strength and the stiffness of the test specimens dropped rapidly and significantly after low-level drift cycles. Overall, the test specimens exhibited poor ductility and limited energy dissipation capacity. Provisions for required tension splice lengths of plain round bars in ASCE/SEI 41-06 were found to be excessively conservative.