Seismic Behaviour of Slightly Reinforced Concrete Walls: Experiments and Theoretical Conclusions

In order to develop new standards related to structures in seismic regions, a series of research programmes has been conducted on slightly reinforced structural walls commonly used in France. Based on these researches, a method of design of such walls submitted to a seismic action has been set up. This method used in the PS92 code differs from that used for ductile walls, where a plastic hinge can develop at the base of the wall. The analysis is similar to the push over analysis presently given in Eurocode 8. These various researches have confirmed the validity of the design concept developed for the PS92 code, on one hand, and highlighted a number of phenomena linked to the non linear behaviour of reinforced concrete walls, on the other hand. The present article aims at presenting a synthesis of the results obtained during these research programmes.