Alternative Strategies to Enhance the Seismic Performance of Reinforced Concrete-Block Shear Wall Systems

In this paper, seven reinforced concrete-block shear walls with aspect ratios of 1.5 and 2.2 (two- and three-storey high) were tested under displacement-controlled cyclic loading. The response of rectangular, flanged, and end-confined walls, designed to have the same lateral resistance when subjected to the same axial load, is discussed. In general, high levels of ductility accompanied by relatively small strength degradation were observed in …