Studies of Nonlinear Numerical Analysis Methods on Frames with Infilled Walls

In the earthquake damage investigation of 921 Gi-Gi earthquake, most damages occurred at low-rise reinforced concrete or strengthened brick buildings. The damages are due to the bad constructing, less amount of walls and the bad arrangement of walls. In the future earthquake attacking, the low-rise reinforced concrete structures are still most damageable structures. These low-rise buildings in Taiwan use large amount of brick or RC walls. So the lateral stiffness and strength of frame are less than frame with walls. The seismic behaviors of these buildings are dependent on their walls. National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering has made many seismic tests of frame with brick and RC walls. In this research the nonlinear numerical analysis program, which is based on OpenSees of Berkeley university of U.S.A., is used to moderate the testing results of frames with walls. The five RC frames with walls consist of a pure frame PF, a frame with 1/2B brick wall WF05B, a frame with IB brick wall, a frame with 12cm thickness RC wall WF12 and a frame with 15cm thickness RC wall WF15. The analysis results are compared to the test data. It is shown that walls can be simulated with the Softened Strut-and-Tie model and model as many truss elements. The analysis results from OpenSees can be very closed to the test results.