Seismic performance of concrete walls reinforced by high-strength bars: cyclic loading test and numerical simulation

This study examines the influence of cross-section shape on the seismic behaviour of high-strength steel reinforced concrete shear walls (HSS-RC) designed with Grade HRB 600 MPa reinforcement. As part of the study, two flexure-dominant walls with rectangular and T-shaped cross-sections, are tested under reversed cyclic loading. Seismic performance is evaluated by studying the failure characteristics, hysteretic curves, energy dissipation, ductility, and reinforcing bar strains in the two walls. As part of the numerical study, two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) finite element modelling (FEM) are used to predict the seismic response of the rectangular and T-shaped walls, respectively. The test results show that compared to the rectangular wall, the flange in the T-shaped HSS-RC wall increased strength, energy dissipation and stiffness, but decreased ductility. The analytical hysteretic curves calculated using 2D and 3D FEM analyses show good agreement with the experimental test results.