Design of large structures

3. Coupled shear wall structures

3.1 Introduction

In tall buildings, there may be many concrete walls that are aligned. This may allow such
structures to be connected by moment resisting members like shallow or deeper beams. For
example, in apartment buildings where the apartments are located on either side of a corridor as
shown in Figure 3.1 (a), it is possible to have walls on either side supporting the slabs of each
apartment. Such structures, which are having walls that are connected by the bending-resistant
elements are termed coupled shear wall structures.

Figure 3.1(a): Shear walls separated by a passage where the apartments could be between shear
walls

3.2 Behaviour of coupled shear wall structures

If two inplane shear walls are connected by pin-ended links that transmits axial forces between
them, the externally applied moments will be resisted by the individual moments on the two
walls. The magnitude of the moment on each wall will be proportional to the flexural rigidity.
In this case, each wall subjected to a flexural moment will cause maximum tension and
compression on the extreme fibres. In addition, there will be compressive stresses on the wall
due to gravity loads such as self weight and any additional load transferred on to it by the floor
slabs supported by the concrete wall.
If the two walls are connected by rigid beams, two walls will act as a single composite unit,
bending about the centroidal axis of the two walls. The bending stresses will then be distributed
linearly across the composite unit with maximum tensile and compressive stresses occurring at
the opposite extreme edges.

The real situation of two in-plane walls connected by a flexible member will lie between these
two extreme cases, which could be regarded as the bounds on the structural behaviour of a
coupled wall system. With a stiffer connecting beam, the structural behaviour will approach that
of a fully composite cantilever.

When, two in-planer walls are subjected to lateral loads, the ends of the connecting beam are
forced to rotate and displace vertically. This will cause the connecting beam to bend in double
curvature which will induce shears in the connecting beams. Hence, there will be equal and
opposite bending moments and shear forces induced on the walls at the beam wall junctions to
provide the equilibrium. The shears transferred to the walls will induce axial loads in the two
walls. These will be tensile on the windward walls and compressive in the leeward walls.

Hence, the total external moment, M, will now be shared by two walls as M1 and M2 with an
axial load of N acting at a distance, l, which is the distance between the centroidal axes of the
individual shear walls. Hence, the total external moment, M, will be shared as follows:

𝑀𝑀 = 𝑀𝑀1 + 𝑀𝑀2 + 𝑁𝑁𝑁𝑁 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 3.2(𝑎𝑎)

The last term Nl represents the effects of the coupling action. This term will be zero in the case
of walls linked by axial connections (no flexural moment carrying capacity) and will reach the
maximum when the connecting beams are infinitely rigid.

From Eq. 3.2(a), it can be seen that the presence of coupling action will reduce the moment to be
carried by the two walls by Nl. Since the value of l is large, the reduction in the total bending
moment can be substantial even for relatively smaller axial force. The remaining moment is M-
Nl. This has to be shared by the two walls in the ratio of flexural rigidities. With much smaller
values for M1 and M2, it would be now much easier to suppress the wind induced flexural
stresses.

3.3 Method of analysis

In coupled shear walls, it is important to assess the degree of the coupling action. For the exact
analysis, it is necessary to model the system for computer analysis. However, it is possible to
obtain approximate results for some special loading cases like shear walls subjected to uniform
loads over the full height. One such method is termed "Continuous connection method". In this,
the structure is simplified with an assumption. That is, all the connecting elements will be
distributed over the full height of the structure to produce an equivalent continuous connecting
medium.
Thus, in this method, in a building of storey height, h, the discrete set of connecting beams where
each would have a flexural rigidity of EIh will be replaced by an equivalent continuous
𝐸𝐸𝐼𝐼
connecting medium of flexural rigidity ℎ�ℎ per unit height. With this assumption, it is

possible to develop a set of equations which can be represented in graphical form. For these
equations, it is possible to define few important parameters that will depend on the properties of
the connecting beams and the individual shear walls that are connected.

𝐼𝐼 = 𝐼𝐼1 + 𝐼𝐼2 where 𝐼𝐼1 is the second moment of area of the first wall about an axis perpendicular to
the plane of bending and located at the centroid. 𝐼𝐼2 is the value corresponding to second wall.

𝐴𝐴 = 𝐴𝐴1 + 𝐴𝐴2 where 𝐴𝐴1 and 𝐴𝐴2 are the plan areas corresponding to walls 1 and 2

𝐼𝐼𝑐𝑐 is the second moment of area of the coupling beam

𝑙𝑙 is the distance between the centers of the two walls on plan view

𝑏𝑏 is the clear separation between the two coupling walls

12𝐼𝐼𝑐𝑐 𝑙𝑙 2
∝2 = eq 3.3(a)
𝑏𝑏 3 ℎ𝐼𝐼

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
𝑘𝑘 2 = 1 + 𝐴𝐴 2
eq 3.3(b)
1 𝐴𝐴 2 𝑙𝑙

3.4 Solutions for standard load cases

The solution that can be obtained for a uniformly distributed lateral load is acting on a pair of
coupled shear walls supported by a rigid base can be presented.

When the wall is subjected to a uniformly distributed lateral load, the externally applied moment
at any level z of a wall of total height of h is given by:

𝑤𝑤(𝐻𝐻 − 𝑧𝑧)2�
𝑀𝑀 = 2 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 3.4(𝑎𝑎)

This moment will give rise to an axial load, N, transferred to shear walls. The value of this
force N can be expressed as follows:
𝐻𝐻 2 𝑧𝑧
𝑁𝑁 = 𝑤𝑤 𝑘𝑘 2 𝑙𝑙 𝐹𝐹1 �𝐻𝐻 , 𝑘𝑘 ∝ 𝐻𝐻� 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 3.4(𝑏𝑏)

𝑧𝑧
The variation of 𝐹𝐹1 with two parameters 𝐻𝐻 and 𝑘𝑘 ∝ 𝐻𝐻 can be represented graphically as shown in
Figure 3.4(a).
Figure 3.4(a): Variation of axial force factor F1

The shear in the connecting medium can be expressed as given in the following:

𝑤𝑤𝐻𝐻 𝑧𝑧
𝑞𝑞 = 2
𝐹𝐹2 � , 𝑘𝑘 ∝ 𝐻𝐻� 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 3.4(𝑐𝑐)
𝑘𝑘 𝑙𝑙 𝐻𝐻
𝑧𝑧
The variation of 𝐹𝐹2 with two parameters 𝐻𝐻 and 𝑘𝑘 ∝ 𝐻𝐻 can be represented graphically as shown in
Figure 3.4(b). It should be noted that this value of q is given in kN/m. Hence, the total shear in a
coupling beam will be qh. As can be seen in Figure 3.4(b), as the parameter kαH increases, the
position of the beam having a maximum shear moves progressively down the height of the
structure. The beam having the maximum shear will be subjected to a maximum bending
moment as well.
Figure 3.4(b): Variation of shear flow factor F2

Since there will be a point of contraflexure at the center of each connecting beams, the maximum
moment will act at the beam wall junction. The magnitude of this moment will be given be
qh.b/2 where b is the length of the connecting beam.

Owing to the coupling action, there will be two moments acting on the structure. One is the
external moment and the other is the resistance provided by the coupling action. Hence, there
will be a reduction in the deflection which could be important for the design engineer. The
reduction in the maximum deflection could be represented in the graphical form.

For example, when subjected to uniform lateral load, the maximum deflection at the top of the
structure will be given by the following formula:
𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤 4
𝑦𝑦𝐻𝐻 = 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 3.4(𝑑𝑑)
8𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸

When the coupling action is available, it is possible to use 𝐹𝐹3 indicated graphically in Figure
3.4(c) to obtain the maximum deflection at the top of the coupled shear wall as follows:

𝑤𝑤𝑤𝑤 4
𝑦𝑦𝐻𝐻 = 𝐹𝐹 (𝑘𝑘, ∝ 𝐻𝐻) 𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 3.4(𝑒𝑒)
8𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 3
Figure 3.4(c): Variation of top deflection factor F3

The above equations and figures will be allow solving a coupled shear wall subjected to a
uniform lateral load, w, over the full height of the building. As indicated by the figures, k ∝ 𝐻𝐻,
will thus define the degree of the composite action. If k ∝ 𝐻𝐻 is a small value like 1, the beams
would be considered as flexible. In such a situation, the walls tend to act as independent linked
cantilevers. If k ∝ 𝐻𝐻 is large, may be in the range of 8, the beams could be classed as stiff. In
such a situation, the structure tends to act like a composite cantilever. For intermediate values,
the mode of action will be in between and that would be the most practically occurring cases.
Design example:

This design example is intended to illustrate the use of design equations and curves for a typical
case of a coupled shear wall where comparison was carried out for stresses when coupling action
is available and not available.

Two walls of length 5.0 m and 7.0 m have been connected by a coupling beam of 700 mm of
depth and 250 mm of thickness and of length 2.5 m. The thickness of the walls is also 250 mm.
The floor to floor height is 3.2 m. The building has twenty floors.

The floor slabs span 6.25 m thus giving a clear spacing of 6.0 between two walls. This building
will be used for apartments.

The floor slabs are of 200 mm thickness and also has an allowance of 1 kN/m2 for finishes and
an allowance of 0.5 kN/m2 for services. All the internal partitions will be of light weight and an
allowance of 1.0 kN/m2 would be sufficient. The live load considered is 2.0 kN/m2.

The walls can be considered as subjected to a uniform lateral load of 6.0 kN/m. Answer the
following:

1. Determine the dead and imposed loads acting on the floor slabs

2. Determine the second moments of areas of the walls and the connecting beams

3. Determine the structural parameters k, α and kαH

4. If the walls are acting independently, determine the bending moment resisted by each wall at
the ground floor level

5. Determine the vertical loads acting at the ground level

6. Hence, determine the stress distribution that could occur under each wall

7. What will be the moment resisted by each wall when the coupling action is effective?

8. Determine the stress distribution that can occur in each wall when the coupling action is
effective

9. Determine the maximum forces that would act on a coupling beam

10. Comment on the reduction in deflection that would be possible with coupling the shear wall

Prepared by: Prof M T R Jayasinghe, B.Sc. Eng. Hons. (Moratuwa), Ph.D. (Cambridge), C.Eng.
Senior Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa 10400
Sri Lanka.