Study of Behaviour of RC Shear Wall with and without opening using concealed stiffeners

Abstract

ABSTRACT newline newline Shear wall is the structural element provided in multistoried structure to resist wind and seismic forces acting along the plane of wall. Many times core wall around lifts or staircase is designed to act as a shear wall. Generally openings are provided in shear walls to meet functional requirements and to provide building services like AC ducts or ducts for electrical and telecommunication services. Strength of structure decreases due to provision of openings in it and is also equally true for shear wall. Cracks undergoes in the critical region in case of solid wall and in addition to this at corners and along edges of opening for wall with openings. Stiffness and strength of wall gets reduced due to reduction in concrete area and any discontinuity of reinforcement due to opening. Stress concentration occurs around opening which leads formation of cracks in early stage of loading and hence reduction in strength and failure in early stage. In case of large openings stress concentration takes place around openings and at corners due to disturbance in stress path which produces cracks. Failure in shear wall is observed predominantly due to flexure or shear in critical region which is up to height, minimum of width of wall or 1/6th height of wall in case of slender wall and at bottom corners, along edges, base and diagonal in case of squat walls. In case of shear wall with openings failure is observed along edges and corners of openings. Cracks occur in this portion first and then failure takes place on further loading. newlineAs shear walls are provided to resist seismic and lateral forces due to wind along the plane, these walls are expected to remain intact in during earthquake but in some cases such behaviour has not observed during past earthquakes. Damage to the structure can be reduced or minimized by providing shear walls but it cannot be completely eliminated so it is necessary to make shear walls stronger. This can be done by strengthening shear walls with some practical solution without incurri