DUCTILITY OF LOW-RISE STRUCTURAL WALLS

Based on equilibrium and compatibility conditions, as well as a stress -strain relationship for softened concrete, a truss model theory is de rived to predict the strength and behaviour of low-rise reinforced con crete shear walls. The theoretical prediction was compared to the test s of twenty-four shear walls and was found to be applicable throughout the loading history. The effects of material properties (including st eel yielding stress and concrete compressive strength) and reinforceme nt ratio on the ductility of low-rise structural walls was further stu died using numerical experimentation. It was found from this study tha t the ductility factor of four can be reached when the steel yielding stress, the concrete compressive strength and the reinforcement ratio are 280 N/mm, 56 N/mm2 and 0.0025, respectively.