Seismic performance of a 10-story RC box-type wall building structure

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the seismic performance of high-rise reinforced concrete (RC) box-type wall structures commonly used for most residential buildings in Korea. For this purpose, an analytical model was calibrated with the results of the earthquake simulation tests on a 1:5 scale 10-story distorted model. This calibrated model was then transformed to a true model. The performance of the true model in terms of the stiffness, strength, and damage distribution through inelastic energy dissipation was observed with reference to the earthquake simulation test results. The model showed high overstrength factors ranging from 3 to 4. The existence of slab in this box-type wall system changed the main resistance mode in the wall from bending moment to tension/compression coupled moment through membrane actions, and increased the overall resistance capacity by about 25~35%, in comparison with the common design practice of neglecting the slab´s existence. The flexibility of foundation, which is also commonly neglected in the engineering design, contributes to 30~50% of the roof drift in the stiff direction containing many walls. The possibility of concrete spalling and reinforcement buckling and fracture under the maximum considered earthquake (MCE) in Korea appears to be very low when compared with the case of the 2010 Concepcion, Chile earthquake.