Title:
Autoregularized Model of Compressive Behavior of Structural Wall Boundary Elements
Author(s):
Carlos A. Arteta, Jefferson Piedrahita, and Christopher L. Segura Jr.
Publication:
Structural Journal
Volume:
122
Issue:
2
Appears on pages(s):
87-100
Keywords:
boundary element (BE); compression test; fracture energy in compression; regularization; reinforced concrete (RC); strain capacity model; structural wall
DOI:
10.14359/51743302
Date:
3/1/2025
Abstract:
The adequate seismic behavior of slender reinforced concrete (RC) structural walls relies heavily on the effectiveness of the boundary element (BE) in providing stable resistance against combined axial and flexural-shear compression demands resulting from gravity loading and lateral earthquake deformations. The geometric properties of the BE, including thickness and confined length, as well as the arrangement, detailing, and quantity of transverse reinforcement, play crucial roles in achieving a stable compressive response. Laboratory tests on isolated BE specimens subjected to uniform axial compression or cyclic axial tension and compression have been instrumental in understanding the influence of these variables on the compressive behavior of wall BEs. This study uses a database of experimental results from 45 rectangular BE specimens to establish empirical relationships between compressive force and strain, accounting for geometric and transverse reinforcement design parameters. A novel auto-regularizing model is proposed to estimate the compressive behavior within the damaged zone of a BE, based on its geometry and transverse reinforcement.