Hysteretic stressing state features of RCB shear walls revealed by structural stressing state theory

• Published in: Case Studies in Construction Materials 2021-12, Vol.15, p.e00674, Article e00674
• Main Authors: Zhao, Yan, Liu, Bai, Li, Huaming, Liu, Hongbo, Zhou, Guangchun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Failure load; Hysteretic; Mutation; Shear wall; Strain; Stressing state
• ISSN: 2214-5095; 2214-5095
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cscm.2021.e00674

•Propose the methods for modeling the hysteretic stressing states of RCB shear walls.•Reveal the mutation features in the hysteretic stressing state evolution of RCB shear walls.•Define the hysteretic failure load at the starting point in the failure process of the RCB shear wall.•Define the hysteretic design load at the elastic-plastic branch point of the RCB shear wall.•Explore the value of the experimental hysteretic strain data of RCB shear walls. This study reveals the essential stressing state features of reinforced concrete block (RCB) shear walls in their hysteretic working process by applying structural stressing state theory and method. The experimental strains of the RCB shear wall are transferred into generalized strain energy density (GSED) values to build the stressing state mode and the parameter characterizing the mode. Then, the Mann-Kendall criterion is used to detect the mutation feature in the evolution of the stressing state characteristic parameter with the hysteretic load increase. Correspondingly, it is verified that the stressing state mode also presents the mutation feature. The stressing state mutation is the essential feature in the structural working process as structural failure starting point, which is the embodiment of the natural law from quantitative change to qualitative change of a system. Furthermore, the stressing state analysis reveals the elastic-plastic branch point in the working process of the RCB shear wall, which could be directly taken as the design point. In total, this study explores a new way to analyze the structural hysteretic working behavior and provides the rational reference to improve the existing design code.