Understanding the behavior of the Thin Lightly-Reinforced Concrete Wall (TLRCW) building system

Thin lightly reinforced concrete wall (TLRCW) buildings are commonly used to mitigate the housing deficit in developing countries. The TLRCW system comprises slender walls with a thickness lower than 150 mm, a high aspect ratio, limited or no confinement at the edges of the walls, and web reinforcement with limited ductility. This paper describes and discusses the main geometric and mechanical characteristics of 207 TLRCW buildings constructed in intermediate- and high-seismicity regions. Variables considered in the study are the number of stories, wall-area index, axial load ratio, slenderness, aspect ratio, and the type of reinforcement at wall edges. Statistical analyses of the database and global performance indices are correlated with the expected seismic performance of TLRCW buildings. The results of the analyses aided at developing a useful toolbox for rapid assessment of design and structural configuration to prioritize intervention strategies for existing TLRCW buildings.