Parametric Investigations on an RC Wall Macro Model

This study investigates effectiveness of a simple macro model in nonlinear behavior prediction of different specimens tested under different loading conditions and also with different geometrical properties. The model consists of nonlinear spring elements representing flexural and shear behavior. The model was implemented in ABAQUS6.6 to allow comparison between experimental and analytical results for selected test specimens. The specimens were various in terms of geometrical properties such as boundary element cross section and shear-span ratio, axial load, concrete strength. The model turned out to be capable of simulating the nonlinear behavior of some of the test specimens at different stages of loading to a very good degree of accuracy and after a few seconds of CPU time, and the results showed differences between measured and calculated response for some of them. The investigation on modeling parameters also showed that the number of macro elements along the height of relatively squat walls may considerably influence the model accuracy, while sensitivity of slender walls to this parameter is not significant.