CLASSIFICATION METHODOLOGY FOR COUPLED SHEAR WALLS

This paper presents guidelines for classification of ductile coupled s hear walls (CSWs). It includes two parts: the evaluation of the degree of coupling (DC) between the walls and the coupling beams, and the cl assification of CSWs. In present practice, DC is defined as the percen tage of the base overturning moment carried by the axial tension and c ompression forces resulting from shears in the coupling beams. The eva luation of DC requires a structural analysis of CSW, which presents se rious shortcomings during the preliminary proportioning process. A sim ple method is proposed in this paper for the evaluation of DC without need for structural analyses. A classification method based on the dyn amic properties of CSWs is also proposed. This allows the classificati on of CSWs into one of the following three categories: a series of lin ked isolated walls, CSWs, and walls with openings (pierced walls). Fin ally, numerical examples demonstrate the applicability of the proposed methods. This paper is thought to be very useful for the practicing e ngineer.