Effects of horizontal web reinforcement on cyclic behavior of RC squat walls

Abstract

This paper evaluates the effects of horizontal web reinforcement on cyclic behaviour of RC squat wall using test results of three pairs of specimens. One specimen was tested by the authors while the other five were adopted from the existing researches. Each specimen pair was designed with approximately the same design parameters, except that uniformly distributed horizontal web reinforcement was provided in one specimen only. Shear stress demand, evaluated based on the shear associated with the development of flexural strength at the base, was approximately $3.5\sqrt {{{f'}_c}} (psi)$, $6.0\sqrt {{{f'}_c}} (psi)$, and $8.0\sqrt {{{f'}_c}} (psi)$, respectively, for each specimen pair. Test results show that specimen with uniformly distributed horizontal web reinforcement exhibited larger deformation capacity compared to specimens without it. Specimen peak strengths, on the other hand, appear to be similar with and without uniformly distributed horizontal reinforcement and can be satisfactorily predicted by nominal flexural strength.