Shear Strength of Lightly Reinforced Wall Piers and Spandrels

Abstract eng:
Between 1950’s and 1970’s, a significant number of buildings were constructed using lightly reinforced, perimeter walls with openings. Evaluation and rehabilitation of such buildings requires accurate assessment of the expected shear strength, stiffness and ductility of the wall segments (wall piers and spandrels), which comprise the primary lateral-load resisting elements. Assessing wall shear strength is complicated by factors such as use of a single curtain of distributed reinforcement, lack of hooks, and use of weakened plane joints, all common in older construction. To address these issues, a database of existing test results was assembled and reviewed, and tests were conducted on lightly reinforced wall piers and spandrels to address significant gaps in the available test data. Observations indicate that the amount of boundary reinforcement provided, presence of axial load, and the location of a weakened plane joint on the wall are the most important factors in assessment of nominal shear strength.

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