This study aimed to determine the effects of small defects on the structural performance and reinforcement method of reinforced-concrete (RC) structural walls. For this purpose, a cyclic lateral loading test was performed on five reinforced concrete w...
This study aimed to determine the effects of small defects on the structural performance and reinforcement method of reinforced-concrete (RC) structural walls. For this purpose, a cyclic lateral loading test was performed on five reinforced concrete walls with an aspect ratio of 2.6 and small defects. The size of small defects was taken as the major test parameter. The specimens were designed to fail with flexural behavior, corresponding to the failure pattern of slender RC walls. Based on the test results, the structural performances and behavioral characteristics of the test specimens were investigated in terms of load-carrying capacity_(flexural strength), hysteretic behavior, strain distribution, and the size of defects. The test results show that the specimens undergo flexural failure irrespective of the size of the defects, and the main performance_parameters, such as flexural strength and deformation capacity, were not affected by the small defects. It could thus be concluded that small defects do not affect the flexural behavior of slender walls if the walls have sufficient shear performance, and the small defects are located in the compression zone where compressive stress does not decrease. Based on the characteristics of the structural wall, the experimental results and the analysis results, propose a reinforcement method according to the size of the defects. By applying this reinforcement method, it is possible to secure the structural safety of the RC structural wall in which the defects exist, and it can be reasonably expected that the economical efficiency and construction of the RC structural wall construction can be secured.