Pushover of Hybrid Coupled Walls. I: Design and Modeling

Abstract

This paper discusses the design and modeling of a lateral load resisting system comprised of reinforced concrete walls coupled by steel beams i.e., hybrid coupled walls. A number of prototype systems with various levels of coupling are proportioned according to a proposed design method that ensures that a specific degree of coupling is achieved. Detailed finite-element models are created to study the pushover response of the designed prototype systems. The developed models account for the effect of material inelasticity, concrete cracking, opening and closure of the gap between the embedded steel beams and the walls, and geometric nonlinearity. The developed finite-element models are validated through comparisons with test results of a number of reinforced concrete walls and wall-beam subassemblages. Various performance measures are proposed to judge and compare the behavior of the various systems. The behavior of the systems and comparisons between their performance under pushover loading are discussed i...