ABSTRACT
Another study on FRP strengthening of RC shear walls has been carried out by Lombard et al. The purpose was to investigate the feasibility of CFRP strengthening and rehabilitation of reinforced concrete shear walls (Lombard, 1999). In his studies, four walls were tested in a quasistatic cyclic load sequence in predetermined load control steps up to the calculated yield load and then predetermined displacement control steps up to failure, respectively. The configuration of the CFRP strengthened system consisted of one or three sheets with fibers oriented either vertical or vertical and horizontal directions on both faces of the walls. Based on the test results, he developed an analytical model to predict the ultimate flexural capacity of plain reinforced concrete shear walls and walls strengthened or repaired with externally bonded fiber reinforced plastics based on the test results. Another study has been carried out by Sugiyama et al, where seismic behavior of non-structural reinforced concrete walls with openings strengthened using FRP composite sheets was studied (Sugiyama, 2000). He tested
1 INTRODUCTION
Earthquake resistant structures should be provided with lateral and vertical seismic force-resisting systems. Force-resisting systems should be capable of transmitting forces to the foundations. Continuity and regular transitions are essential requirements to achieve adequate load paths (Elnashai, 2008).
