Shear Strength Model for Flanged Squat Walls in Nuclear Power Plants

Abstract

© 2022 by Korea Concrete Institute.A numerical shear strength model was proposed for seismic design and performance evaluation of RC walls in nuclear power plants. Given that NPP walls are integrated with cross walls, the proposed model focused on the shear strength contribution of flanges, particularly in squat walls. Based on the experimental studies of flanged walls, web and flanges were replaced by equivalent shear panels and the response of each panel was analyzed using modified compression field theory. Shear stress in the web induces axial tension and compression in the flange walls, which results in different shear strength contributions of the flanges. The shear strength contribution of compression flanges was greater than that of tension flanges due to the axial load effect. The accuracy of the proposed model was verified based on existing test results of squat walls with boundary elements. The model showed uniform accuracy predictions for various design parameters.