Approximate Analysis of Open-Section Shear Walls Subject to Torsional Loading

A hand method of analysis is presented for the torsional warping behavior of nonplanar asymmetrical systems of shear walls such as the elevator and service shafts in tall buildings. The method is suitable for both uniform and nonuniform walls with or without constraining lintels, or internal floor slabs, or both. The basic governing equations are derived, and used to construct non-dimensional curves which allow the direct analysis of uniform open-section walls subject to uniformly distributed torsional moment. The transfer matrix method is used to extend the method for the hand analysis of nonuniform wall systems. The results for uniform and nonuniform examples are shown to compare closely with those obtained by a more exact computer analysis.