Implications of the 2020 National Building Code of Canada updates on the design demands for reinforced concrete shear wall buildings

Abstract

The seismic demands of the Reinforced Concrete Shear Walls (RCSWs) system are determined based on Canada’s National Building Code (NBC). NBC 2020 features the revised Canadian Seismic Hazard Model and presents the possibility of enhancing demand’s accuracy by determining design spectra based on the specific average shear wave velocity, instead of specified site classes. This paper investigates the changes in design demands for RCSWs compared to the previous edition. To do so, fifty-five RCSW prototypes were modelled using distributed mass and stiffness procedure, and their dynamic response was assessed through Modal Response Spectrum Analysis at five locations across Canada. The results highlight significant changes in deformation and force demands, where the majority of cases experienced an increase in 2020 compared to 2015 when demands were determined based on specified site classes. This study also evaluates the log-log interpolation method recommended by NBC 2020 for the design spectral acceleration.