Empirical drift capacity models for fully grouted reinforced masonry shear walls

Abstract

This paper outlines an empirical approach to predict the drift capacities of fully grouted reinforced masonry (RM) shear walls under in-plane loading. The RM walls are provided with centrally placed single layer of reinforcement curtain, which raises a question on their drift and ductility characteristics over double layered reinforced concrete (RC) walls. To study the drift capacities of RM walls, an experimental database was developed comprising 152 shear walls tested under in-plane loading conditions. This database was then used to assess the critical parameters that influence the in-plane drift capacities of RM walls. It was found that the shear reinforcement ratio, shear stress demand, aspect and effective slenderness ratios are most sensitive to in-plane drift capacities of RM walls. Existing analytical and empirical models to predict the in-plane drift capacities of shear walls were initially considered to verify their applicability in predicting the drift capacities of RM walls. The analyses showed that existing analytical models under-predicted and the empirical models over-predicted the ultimate drift capacities of RM walls. Consequently, this study used the developed experimental database to propose a set of empirical models to predict the in-plane drift capacities of RM walls. The proposed models would facilitate the analysis of drift capacities of RM walls with different configurations and thereby enable the implementation of displacement-based performance design approach for such walling systems.