Walls

Introduction
ACI Code defines the structural wall as: wall proportional to resist combinations of
shears, moments, and axial forces. The purposes of the walls in buildings are to
support roofs, floors and ceilings; to enclose a space as part of the building
envelope along with a roof to give buildings form; and to provide shelter and security. In
addition, the wall may house various types of utilities such as electrical
wiring or plumbing.

In this project, two types of structural walls are existed; shear walls and basement walls.

Type of walls

1. NonLoad-Bearing Walls

Nonload-bearing walls are those that support only their own weight and
perhaps some lateral loads. Falling into this class are retaining walls, and
basement walls used to resist lateral soil pressures.

2. Load-Bearing Wall

Most of the concrete walls in buildings are load-bearing walls that support not
only vertical loads but also some lateral moments. As a result of their
considerable in-plane stiffnesses, they are quite important in resisting wind
and earthquake forces.

3. Retaining wall

A retaining wall is a structure built for the purpose of holding back, or retaining
or providing one-sided lateral confinement of soil or other loose material. The
loose material being retained pushes against the wall, tending to overturn and
slide it. Retaining walls are used in many design situations where there are
abrupt changes in the ground slope.
4. Basement wall

Basement wall is a type of retaining wall which their primary function is to

resist lateral soil pressure, so its expected to be located in the basement
stories. Basement walls are used to resist soil pressure, as well as gravity
loads transferred tributary from the slab.

5. Shear wall

Shear walls are deep relatively thin vertically reinforced concrete beams.
They are commonly used in the structures to resist the effects of gravity loads
and story shears. Shear walls are vertical elements in the lateral force
resisting system that transmit lateral forces from the diaphragm above to the
diaphragm below or to the foundation . Shear walls may also bearing walls in
the gravity load system or they may be components in dual system framed so
as to resist only lateral loads.

Walls may be subjected to both vertical (gravity) and horizontal (Wind or

Earthquake) forces. The horizontal forces are both in plane and out of plane.
When considered under their in plane loads walls are called shear walls.
When considered under their out of plane loads they are called normal walls.
Walls will be designed to withstand all vertical loads and horizontal forces
both parallel to and normal to the flat surface with due allowance for the effect
of any eccentric loading or overturning forces generated.
 Types of shear walls depending on height (H) to length (L) ratio are:

Short walls: H/L is less than 2.

Slender walls: H/L is more than 3.

Horizontal forces at any floor or roof level are generally transferred to the
ground (foundation) by using the strength and rigidity of shear walls and
partitions.

The major considerations in determination the size of shear wall section are:

The walls must have enough stiffness to limit the lateral deflections.
The walls must have adequate strength in shear and combined flexure
and axial loads.

The wall strength must satisfy

Mn > Mu
Vn > Vu
Pn > Pu

To control cracking, reinforcement is required in the horizontal and vertical directions, to

resist in-plane shear forces and flexural stresses. The vertical reinforcement in the wall
serves as flexural reinforcement.

The loads combination which is taken in consideration designing the shear walls are: