ACI Wall Design

[bookowski]

In designing a concrete wall for compression using ACI is it acceptable to use the column equations of chapter 10 with a steel area of zero? Does the chapter 10 equation give you higher concrete strength due to confinement of the ties, and thus would not be applicable for a wall (assuming wall has no ties). The only other option that I see is the empirical equation which seems conservative.

 

[MrHershey]

ACI 14.4 directs you to design walls as compression members in accordance with many of the Chapter 10 provisions unless you decide to go with the more conservative empirical method.

 

[MrHershey]

And to clarify on the confinement of ties issue:

ACI 14.3.6 ('05 edition): Vertical reinforcement need not be enclosed by lateral ties if vertical reinforcement area is not greater than 0.01 times gross concrete area, or where vertical reinforcement is not required as compression reinforcement.

So ignoring the steel area in computing compression strength would be an acceptable approach.