Seismic Performance Limitations and Detailing of Slender Reinforced Concrete Walls

Recent earthquakes and laboratory tests have revealed code-compliant slender walls are vulnerable to brittle compression failure prior to achieving deformation levels allowed in U.S. codes and standards. To identify and address potential deficiencies in current provisions, seven half-scale ACI 318-14-compliant wall specimens were subjected to reversed cyclic lateral loads and constant axial load. Abrupt loss of lateral strength and a large reduction in axial capacity occurred at plastic rotations as low as 0.011 radians for the thinnest walls (6 in. [152 mm]). Plastic rotations greater than 0.025 radians were measured for walls that were 25% and 50% thicker; and/or constructed with confinement detailing exceeding ACI 318-14 requirements. Based on experimental results, it is suggested to improve the deformation capacity of thin walls by avoiding the use of crosstie confinement and by providing transverse reinforcement for web longitudinal reinforcement within the plastic hinge region.