Seismic Performance Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Frame-Shear Wall Structures in Hydropower Plants Based on Material Damage

Abstract

For the reinforced concrete frame-shear wall (RCF-SW) structures in hydropower plants (HPs), the tensile cracking and compressive crushing of the reinforced concrete (RC) members are considered as the main potential damage. This paper presents a methodology to assess the seismic performance of RCF-SW structures. In this methodology, a concrete damage plasticity model is employed to simulate the reinforced concrete, and the structural seismic responses are investigated through nonlinear incremental dynamic analysis (IDA). Several engineering demand parameters (EDPs) based on the material damage are proposed to identify the structural engineering limit states and damage states at the member level. The case of x HP is provided as an example to illustrate the methodology and discuss the probable nonlinear response and structural damage state. The concrete damage evolution, reinforcement stresses, and drift ratios of the RCF-SW structure are presented, and the engineering limit states and structural damage states are identified. In comparison with the drift ratio index, the EDPs based on material damage are more suitable for identifying the damage state of the RCF-SW structure, whose damage is controlled by the damage of the RC members.