Shear Wall Compression Strut Design
Shear Wall Compression Strut Design
(OP)
Hi All
My country only has a vague design code for rc walls.
Attached is a sketch of a wall resting on column.
1) When designing the wall itself, do you design the compression
strut as a column with partially fixed ends?
This feels to me as a reasonable approach.
2) How do you reinforce the wall? Do you do a non-orthogonal
approach and reinforce in the direction of the strut? Or do
you prefer to keep to orthogonal reinforcement.
Kind regards
My country only has a vague design code for rc walls.
Attached is a sketch of a wall resting on column.
1) When designing the wall itself, do you design the compression
strut as a column with partially fixed ends?
This feels to me as a reasonable approach.
2) How do you reinforce the wall? Do you do a non-orthogonal
approach and reinforce in the direction of the strut? Or do
you prefer to keep to orthogonal reinforcement.
Kind regards






RE: Shear Wall Compression Strut Design
1) I haven't been doing that but I see the logic in it. Although, I would probably be calling the column pinned ended or continuous rather than fixed for bucking perpendicular to the wall. The usual analysis uses something like the strut and tie method as discussed in the referenced thread. One major deficiency of that method is that it has little to say about out of plane strut buckling. And it's not obvious how to check that when the rebar is kept orthogonal a as is the usual practice. This is one of the easons why, if I can, I'll run the columns up into the wall at least a floor.
2) I've yet to see a non-orthogonal one get built. It would more challenging from a constructability perspective.
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
RE: Shear Wall Compression Strut Design
Keep the vertical and horizontal for ease of placement and with the inclination of the strut will essentially behaviour like longitudinal reinforcement.