Openings effects in reinforced concrete shear walls; a literature review on experimental and finite element studies

Ehsan Borbory

Concrete shear wall, Seismic parameters, Literature review, Opening

One of the types of earthquake-resistant systems is the concrete shear wall system, which has attracted the attention of engineers due to its good performance in past earthquakes. But some architectural constraints force engineers to install openings in shear walls; thus, this will affect the behavior of the shear wall. Many researchers have conducted experimental and finite element studies for assessing the effects of openings in reinforced concrete shear walls. However, there is a lack of comprehensive comparisons between different studies. This paper reviews some most recent experimental and finite element studies available in the literature and presents a review of the main contributions. This literature review reveals that the seismic responses and the stiffness of structures are influenced by the size and location of the openings in the reinforced shear wall.