Wall-Beam Frames under Static Lateral Load

The response of a staggered reinforced concrete wall-beam framework to static lateral loading is examined. The structure is first idealized as a plane frame composed of linear elastic material. The behavior of a single wall-beam element is than analyzed. Effective moments of inertia for the wall I-section, the lintel I-section, and the floor slabs are calculated. The influence of local deformations at the lintel to web junction are investigated. These results are combined to determine the properties of an equivalent uniform beam member. The axial stiffness of a column modified by the presence of a wall is also considered. The response of a wall-beam structure is described and static test results are presented. Good agreement between calculated and measured deflections was found.