Behavior of Curtailed Wall‐Frame Structures

The lateral load resistance of tall wall‐frame building structures comprising a combination of moment‐resisting frames and shear walls that are reduced in size or terminated entirely at intermediate heights is investigated. A generalized theory for the deflection of such structures is developed on the basis of a continuum model, to show that curtailment of the walls is not necessarily detrimental to the performance of the structure. Indeed, if the walls are curtailed within a certain height region the forces in the upper part of the frame are reduced while the top deflection is negligibly affected. An expression for the deflection of curtailed uniform wall‐frame structures is minimized to provide guidance for the optimum level of wall curtailment to cause a minimum increase in the top deflection. Guidance on the level of curtailment without detriment to the structure's performance for practical nonuniform wall‐frame structures is given.