Study on seismic performance of reinforced concrete shear wall with diagonally distributed reinforcement

Abstract Reinforced concrete shear walls in multistory buildings often undergo the combined action of vertical and horizontal loads, with their failure primarily attributed to localized damage of the concrete at the bottom of edge elements, leading to premature loss of wall functionality. To enhance the performance of shear walls, this study explores the optimization of shear wall design from the perspective of the stress path within the wall, introducing a diagonally distributed reinforcements in shear walls (referred to as DDR shear walls). To investigate the seismic performance of DDR shear walls, we consider the effects of axial compression ratio, the inclination angle of distributed reinforcing bars, reinforcing bar spacing, and shear span ratio. We design 27 shear wall models with various parameter combinations and employ ABAQUS finite element analysis software to simulate the seismic performance. The simulation results reveal that the inclined distribution of reinforcing bars significantly enhances the seismic performance of shear walls. To achieve optimal structural performance, the inclination angle of reinforcing bars should be adjusted for different floor levels, with higher floors requiring a greater angle and lower floors a smaller one. Additionally, increasing the reinforcing bar spacing and altering the shear span ratio will have varying degrees of impact on the seismic performance of shear walls, necessitating rational design adjustments based on specific circumstances. Furthermore, the application of DDR shear walls in prefabricated construction can be considered to optimize construction processes.