Review of Seismic Response and Strength Requirements of Reinforced Concrete Squat Walls

A large proportion of reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls constructed in North America are classified as squat walls with height-to-length ratios typically less than 2.0. The safety of this wall category depends on the designer's ability to successfully predict how such a structural element behaves under seismic loading and reasonably predict the ultimate strength and failure mode. Extensive work was done by different research groups around the globe to investigate the behavior of RC squat walls. The focus was given on a broad spectrum of topics with the aim of codifying prescriptive design recommendations. In this paper, the up-to-date research pertaining to RC squat walls has been collected and introduced in the form of failure modes and the most effective parameters. The main characteristics of load-lateral displacement hysteretic response have been discussed. The collected literature serves as a threshold to examine the accuracy of shear equations that are being used in North American design codes. The examination included other equations and formulas that are available in the literature. The paper concludes by briefly summarizing future challenges and possible solutions through collaborative and individual research efforts.