Strength and deformation of mid-rise shear walls under load reversal

Structural shear walls of conventional buildings were subjected to cyclic inelastic lateral loading in the laboratory. This type of building is generally residential or commercial construction and must be designed using the current Iranian code for seismic design. The shear walls were one-eighth scale models of prototype walls designed in accordance with American Concrete Institute (ACI) recommendations. A total of four reinforced concrete structural shear wall models was subjected to seismic-type lateral forces. All models were identical in size and reinforcement ratios as well as type of material. The only variable was the type of slow reversed cyclic lateral displacement which was affected with no axial load. Results of this experimental investigation are presented in the form of load-displacement plots and compared with the values calculated on the basis of ACI recommendations.