Numerical simulation of dynamic shear wall tests: A benchmark study

This article presents the numerical simulation of a 1/3-scale, 5-story reinforced concrete load bearing structural wall model subjected to seismic excitations in the context of IAEA benchmark shaking table experiment conducted in laboratories of CEA in Saclay, France. A series of non-linear time history analyses were performed to simulate the damage experienced and response quantities measured for the specimen tested on a shaking table. The mock-up was subjected to a series of artificial and natural earthquake records. The entire model (concrete, table, masses) was discretized with 3D non-linear finite elements. An elaborate and comprehensive computer simulation process was conducted. A number of modeling iterations were performed for refinement purposes to include those details that were found to be significant in reproducing the measured behavior. The response of the structure was computed both at macro and microlevels and the results were compared with the measured quantities in order to validate the correctness of the analytical model. The comparison of analytical and experimental results yielded extremely good agreement because a numerical model that incorporates the test conditions adequately had been developed.