Review of Research on Reinforced Concrete Walls in Australia and Code Implications J.H. Doh, S. Fragomeni and Y. C. Loo School of Engineering Griffith University Gold Coast Campus, Queensland, AUSTRALIA E-mail: j.doh@mailbox.gu.edu.au Abstract In this paper, the recent research done in Australia on concrete walls is reviewed and summarised. The important aspects investigated such as load and support conditions, and various parameters to considered are discussed. The application and significance of each research with respect to code specification are also highlighted. The intention of the review is not only to highlight the research done so far but also to identify the scope for further research on concrete walls in Australia. 1. Introduction Reinforced concrete walls are widely used in many constructions areas as such components of load bearing structures. Australian Concrete Standard (AS3600-94) and American Concrete Institute (ACI 318-95) devote separate chapters on wall design. However these practices currently carry out empirical formulae which involve approximations and not always reliable. Hence their scopes of application are limited. When such walls are slender, the walls become susceptible to buckling, which is normally not a design consideration in conventional concrete member. Also these code methods only consider that walls hinged at top and bottom with free vertical edges when carrying vertical loads. Simply it behaves as a panel in one-way action which developing uniaxial curvature in the direction of loading, simular to that of a column as shown in Figure 1 (a). However, in practice, walls can also consider as two-way action, which simply supported all four sides biaxial curvature will be occurred in parallel and perpendicular to that of loading. Fig. 1 (b) shows the typical example of two-way action on walls loaded axially. Recent, popularity of high strength concrete structures can be applicable in concrete walls as well. Those provisions for the design walls do not consider either two- way action condition or high strength behaviour of concrete walls. Thus a better understanding of wall behaviour and more sophisticated design guide lines is needed for satisfactory design of walls. The popularity has spread to Australia where prior to the 1990’s limited experimental research was done on concrete panels. Since then a number of researches projects focusing on the load capacity of concrete walls have been under taken in Australia. Aim of this research is the recent research done in Australia on concrete walls is reviewed and summarised. (a) One-way action (b) Two-way action Figure 1 Walls with side’s supports