Shear-Friction Strength of Low-Rise Walls with 550 MPa (80 ksi) Reinforcing Bars under Cyclic Loading

In the thick reinforced concrete walls of nuclear power plants, the use of high-strength reinforcing bars for shear design is necessary to enhance constructibility and economy. However, low-rise walls subjected to cyclic lateral loading are susceptible to sliding failure at the construction joints. In the present study, low-rise walls were tested to verify the applicability of 550 MPa (80 ksi) bars to the shear-friction design. The major test parameters were the grade of reinforcing bars, wall aspect ratio, reinforcement ratio, and surface condition of the construction joint. The test results showed that the specimens were susceptible to sliding failure and the stress of 550 MPa (80 ksi) shear-friction bars was not reached to the yield strength. Particularly, the shear-friction strengths under cyclic loading were smaller than those under monotonic loading reported in previous studies. The applicability of current design methods was evaluated for the shear-friction design of walls with 550 MPa (80 ksi) bars.