Seismic Performance of Reinforced Concrete Frames Retrofitted with Self-Centering Hybrid Wall

This paper presents the results of a parametric study on the seismic behavior of self-centering hybrid walls as a new seismic retrofit method for reinforced concrete (RC) frames. A special base connection that isolates the wall from its foundation ensures the controlled rocking behavior of the self-centering hybrid wall. This seismic retrofit scheme is very appealing because of its relatively low cost, substantially large stiffness and reasonably low base shear demand. A parametric study has been carried out to investigate the effects of several factors including strength and initial stiffness of hysteretic dampers, and others pertaining to PT tendons on the seismic behavior of the self-centering hybrid wall as the primary lateral force resisting system in a retrofitted RC frame structure. The results from a nonlinear time history analysis of a three-bay, three-story RC frame structure subjected to selected earthquake ground motions, reveal that the self-centering shear wall is fairly effective in controlling the seismic response of the retrofitted RC frame while having negligible residual story drift.