Seismic strengthening of RC frames with shear walls

Experimental testing and numerical analyses of elements and structures have demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of shear walls for the seismic retrofit of existing reinforced concrete frame buildings. The paper presents a literature review and discusses the effect of the most important parameters. It is shown that shear walls improve the global response of existing buildings in terms of stiffness, strength and displacement demand and that their effectiveness is increased for walls with larger dimensions. The design and detailing of the dowels and anchorage bars used for the connection between new and existing elements is a critical issue. The results available in literature, complemented by parametric numerical analyses, may provide the basis for the development of design guidelines with emphasis on strength and stiffness characteristics and on detailing of the connections.