Lightly reinforced concrete walls

[Pantelis_Kalderis]

Hello. I would like to ask what is the most proper way of modelling "lightly reinforced concrete walls" in SeismoStruct?
Is it through typical wall elements or it is more suitable to consider them as concrete infills? Thanks.

[seismosoft]

It depends. If the wall is part of the load resisting mechanism, it should be modelled as a frame element. If instead the wall has been built after the completion of the frame of the building, it should be modelled as an infill. The key element here is whether the wall is employed to resist the gravity loads of the slab.

Seismosoft Support

[Pantelis_Kalderis]

In my case I have solid r/c walls that resist also gravity loads, so they shouldn't be modelled as infills. My concern though is whether a long e.g. 6m wall should be modelled as a frame element. Would it be correct to model it as a "masonry-type" element instead? Or such elements are inappropriate for reinforced concrete?

[seismosoft]

It depends on the modelling requirements, and I am afraid we cannot give you a straightforward answer. If it is a lightly reinforced concrete wall, it should be modelled either with a frame element (elastic or inelastic) or with shell (the elastic) elements. The latter is more accurate in the elastic range, however it cannot capture inelastic response obviously.
Seismosoft Support