ACI 550.7 2019

This standard defines procedures that may be used to design special precast concrete shear walls, coupled or uncoupled, composed of discretely jointed precast panels that are vertically post-tensioned to the foundation with unbonded tendons. Such walls are suitable for use in regions of high seismicity and for structures assigned to high seismic design categories. After a major seismic event, these walls can be expected to exhibit minimal damage in the flexural hinging region at the base of the wall as well as negligible permanent displacements. Such walls do not satisfy the prescriptive requirements of Chapter 18 of ACI 318-14 for shear walls of monolithic construction. According to 18.2.1.7 of ACI 318-14, their acceptance requires demonstration by experimental evidence and analysis that the walls have strength and toughness equal to or exceeding those provided by comparable monolithic reinforced concrete walls that satisfy the prescriptive requirements of Chapter 18. This standard describes the procedures that the designer may use to demonstrate, through analysis, that one type of unbonded post-tensioned precast wall has strength and toughness at least equal to that of comparable special reinforced concrete monolithic walls. The standard consists of Design Requirements and a Commentary. Keywords: coupling devices; drift angle; energy dissipation; lateral resistance; post-tensioning; precast concrete; prestressed concrete; seismic design; special shear wall; test module; toughness.

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