Modeling of Dynamic Behavior and Estimation of Damage Incurred by Self-Centering Rocking Walls

Self-centering rocking walls are known as viable alternatives to typical shear walls, as they provide a number of solutions for eliminating seismic flaws of conventional designs. These rocking walls have a generally positive impact on the seismic behavior of structural systems, but their design makes them susceptible to concrete crushing around their base, which can lead to significantly adverse effects on their seismic performance. This paper first models the dynamic behavior of these walls under cyclic loading and then uses a new approach to estimate the extent and quality of damage incurred by the wall at element level. The damage index used for this purpose acts as a quantitative scale measuring the quality of damage incurred by the concrete and therefore gauging the status of the wall. This paper uses the PERFORM 3D software for the procedure of modeling and damage estimation. To assess the accuracy of the modeling technique, results of numerical analyses are compared with the results of a full-scale load test. The quantitated damage incurred by the wall is then plotted for its surface and these damages are then compared with the actual results obtained from the test. The results indicate that the technique used by this paper to model the dynamic behavior of these walls can accurately simulate their behavior. Also, the damage index used in this paper provides an adequately accurate estimate of the damages incurred by this type of walls.