Investigation of effect of infill walls in earthquake behavior of multi-storey concrete structures

In this study, we aimed to determine the contribution to the reinforced concrete structure of the infill walls. For numerical application, three-storeys five-storeys and seven-story concrete structures were modeled in order to determine the contribution to the building system of infill walls. These models has been redesigned in three different type in itself. The first model is the frame model without completely infill walls of all story. The second model is the frame model which is absence of infill walls on the first floor and have infill walls on other floors. The third model is the frame model having infill walls on all floors. Nine different structures have modeled in this study. The scope of this study, the building models which has two apertures in both directions was modeled as three dimensions by using a computer program called SAP2000 on the basis of TS500 and Turkish Seismic Code, 2007. The infill walls were defined as the equivalent compression strut in the model which is designed as bare frame and infill walls. Linear analysis method was used for analyses of the models. For this purpose, the structure of interstory drifts, displacement values were determined and made separate comparisons were drawn graphics for all models. According to these results, infill walls have changed the rigidity and strength of the system. In this regard, it was determined that the infill walls must be considered in the determining of performance of structure.