Performance of Axially Compressed Reinforced Concrete Walls with Openings Strengthened Using Glass Fiber and Welded Wire Mesh Reinforced Engineered Cementitious Composites
Source abstract
Abstract
Abstract This study explores the structural behavior of axially loaded reinforced concrete (RC) walls with openings strengthened using glass fiber (GF) or welded wire mesh (WWM) reinforced engineered cementitious composites (ECC). Eleven instrumented specimens were constructed, prepared, and tested up to collapse. The primary factors investigated included opening size and shape, wall slenderness ratio, and the type of reinforcement employed for strengthening. Both square and circular openings were introduced, while the sizes were 0.25 and 0.20 of the wall’s width. Two wall heights were designed leading to slenderness ratios of 7.5 and 9.4. Both GF and WWM were employed to reinforce the ECC layer for strengthening the walls around the openings. Finite-element modeling (FEM) was conducted using Abaqus to simulate the load–displacement response, employing validated material models for concrete, reinforcements, and ECC layers. Experimental and numerical results confirmed that walls with ECC strengthening demonstrated significant enhancements in ultimate load capacity and stiffness compared to unstrengthened samples. Among the strengthening techniques, WWM embedded in the ECC layer yielded the highest ultimate load and energy absorption. A parametric study was performed to assess the influence of ECC layer thickness, indicating that increased thickness improved load capacity, with diminishing returns observed beyond 25 mm. The relationship between ECC thickness and ultimate load was represented by a third-degree polynomial equation with high accuracy. This study features the potential of ECC with embedded WWM as an efficient strengthening solution for reinforced concrete walls with openings.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Structural Behavior of Reinforced Concrete · Masonry and Concrete Structural Analysis · Innovative concrete reinforcement materials
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (47)
Show source-provided references
1. Abadel, A. A., & Alharbi, Y. R. (2025). Experimental and numerical study on strengthening of UHPFRC deep beams with square openings using CFRP and WWM configurations. Case Studies in Construction Materials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2025.e0515710.1016/j.cscm.2025.e05157 ↗
2. Ahmed, M., Shahin, R. I., Yehia, S. A., Emara, M., Patel, V. I., & Liang, Q. Q. (2024). Nonlinear analysis of square steel-reinforced concrete-filled steel tubular short columns considering local buckling. Structural Concrete, 25(1), 69–84. https://doi.org/10.1002/suco.20230040210.1002/suco.202300402 ↗
3. Ahmed, M., Yehia, S., Shahin, R., Emara, M., Patel, V. I., & Liang, Q. Q. (2023). Numerical analysis of circular steel–reinforced concrete-filled steel tubular stub columns. Magazine of Concrete Research, 76(6), 303–318. https://doi.org/10.1680/jmacr.23.0015310.1680/jmacr.23.00153 ↗
4. Aksoylu, C., Özkılıç, Y. O., Çeledir, E., Başaran, B., & Arslan, M. H. (2024a). Experimental and numerical investigation of bending performance of prestressed purlins having different longitudinal web opening. Structures, 60, Article 105839. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2023.10583910.1016/j.istruc.2023.105839 ↗
5. Aksoylu, C., Özkiliç, Y. O., Hakeem, I. Y., & Kalkan, I. (2024b). Effects of the location and size of web openings on shear behavior of clamped-clamped reinforced concrete beams. Computers and Concrete, 33(3), Article 251. https://doi.org/10.12989/cac.2024.33.3.25110.12989/cac.2024.33.3.251 ↗
6. Aksoylu, C., Yazman, Ş, Özkılıç, Y. O., Gemi, L., & Arslan, M. H. (2020). Experimental analysis of reinforced concrete shear deficient beams with circular web openings strengthened by CFRP composite. Composite Structures, 249, Article 112561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2020.11256110.1016/j.compstruct.2020.112561 ↗
7. Alharthai, M., Bahrami, A., Badawi, M., Ghalla, M., Elsamak, G., & Abdelmgeed, F. A. (2024). Numerical study on enhancing shear performance of RC beams with external aluminum alloy plates bonded using steel anchors. Results in Engineering, 22, Article 102143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2024.10214310.1016/j.rineng.2024.102143 ↗
8. Aslani, K., & Kohnehpooshi, O. (2018). Structural behavior of FRP-strengthened reinforced concrete shear walls with openings using finite element method. Advances in Structural Engineering, 21(7), 1072–1087. https://doi.org/10.1177/136943321773712110.1177/1369433217737121 ↗
9. ASTM. (2020). Standard test method for diagonal tension (shear) in masonry assemblages. American Society for Testing and Materials.
10. Barros, J. A., & Figueiras, J. A. (1999). Flexural behavior of SFRC: Testing and modeling. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 11(4), 331–339. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0899-1561(1999)11:4(331)10.1061/(ASCE)0899-1561(1999)11:4(331) ↗
11. Carreira, D. J., & Chu, K.-H. (1985). Stress-strain relationship for plain concrete in compression. Paper presented at the Journal Proceedings.
12. Hamoda, A., Abadel, A. A., Ahmed, M., Wang, V., Vrcelj, Z., & Liang, Q. Q. (2025a). Punching shear performance of reinforced concrete slab-to-steel column connections incorporating ECC and UHPECC. Engineering Structures, 322, Article 119145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2024.11914510.1016/j.engstruct.2024.119145 ↗
13. Hamoda, A., Abdelazeem, F., & Emara, M. (2021). Concentric compressive behavior of hybrid concrete–stainless steel double-skin tubular columns incorporating high performance concretes. Thin-Walled Structures, 159, Article 107297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tws.2020.10729710.1016/j.tws.2020.107297 ↗
14. Hamoda, A., Ahmed, M., Abadel, A. A., Alghamdi, H., Baktheer, A., Attia, M. M., & Emara, M. (2025b). Experimental investigations and design of precast concrete-filled steel corrugated sheet slender columns with intermediate connection. Structural Concrete. https://doi.org/10.1002/suco.7030110.1002/suco.70301 ↗
15. Hamoda, A. A., Ahmed, M., Abadel, A. A., Ghalla, M., Patel, V. I., & Liang, Q. Q. (2023c). Experimental and numerical studies of circular precast concrete slender columns with intermediate connection filled with high-performance concrete. Structures, 57, Article 105204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2023.10520410.1016/j.istruc.2023.105204 ↗
16. Hamoda, A., Ahmed, M., Abadel, A. A., & Gohari, S. (2023a). Experimental and numerical investigations of precast circular reinforced concrete slender columns with intermediate connection. Advances in Structural Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1177/1369433223122209110.1177/13694332231222091 ↗
17. Hamoda, A., El-Mandouh, M. A., Ahmed, M., Abadel, A. A., Liang, Q. Q., & Elsamak, G. (2023b). Experimental and numerical studies of reinforced concrete stair beams strengthened with steel bars and plates. Engineering Structures, 297, Article 117037. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2023.11703710.1016/j.engstruct.2023.117037 ↗
18. Hamoda, A., & Elsamak, G. (2025). Sagging behavior of precast NC beams with HPCs-filled wet joints incorporating pre-stressing technique. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 23, Article e04997. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2025.e0499710.1016/j.cscm.2025.e04997 ↗
19. Hamoda, A., Ghalla, M., Yehia, S. A., Ahmed, M., Abadel, A. A., Baktheer, A., & Shahin, R. I. (2024a). Experimental and numerical investigations of the shear performance of reinforced concrete deep beams strengthened with hybrid SHCC-mesh. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 21, Article e03495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2024.e0349510.1016/j.cscm.2024.e03495 ↗
20. Hamoda, A., & Hossain, K. (2019). Numerical assessment of slab–column connection additionally reinforced with steel and CFRP bars. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 44, 8181–8204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-019-03846-210.1007/s13369-019-03846-2 ↗
21. Hamoda, A., Shahin, R. I., Abadel, A. A., Sennah, K., Ahmed, M., & Yehia, S. A. (2025c). Shear strengthening of normal concrete deep beams with openings using strain-hardening cementitious composites with glass fiber mesh. Structures, 71, Article 107994. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2024.10799410.1016/j.istruc.2024.107994 ↗
22. Hamoda, A., Shahin, R. I., Ahmed, M., Abadel, A. A., Baktheer, A., & Yehia, S. A. (2024b). Strengthening of reinforced concrete columns incorporating different configurations of stainless-steel plates. Structures, 64, Article 106577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2024.10657710.1016/j.istruc.2024.106577 ↗
23. Hamoda, A., Shahin, R. I., Ahmed, M., Abadel, A. A., & Yehia, S. A. (2024c). Flexural behaviour of normal concrete circular beams strengthened with ECC and stainless steel tubes. Magazine of Concrete Research, 77(3–4), 171–188. https://doi.org/10.1680/jmacr.24.0013710.1680/jmacr.24.00137 ↗
24. Hamoda, A., Yehia, S. A., Abadel, A. A., Sennah, K., & Shahin, R. I. (2024d). Strengthening of simply supported deep beams with openings using steel-reinforced ECC and externally bonded CFRP sheets. Magazine of Concrete Research. https://doi.org/10.1680/jmacr.24.0014610.1680/jmacr.24.00146 ↗
25. Hamoda, A., Yehia, S. A., Ahmed, M., Abadel, A. A., Baktheer, A., & Shahin, R. I. (2024e). Experimental and numerical analysis of deep beams with openings strengthened with galvanized corrugated and flat steel sheets. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 21, Article e03522.10.1016/j.cscm.2024.e03522 ↗
26. Hegde, P., & Itti, S. (2014). Effect of base opening in reinforced concrete shear wall. International Journal of Civil and Environmental Research, 6, 1.
27. Hosseini, S. A., Kheyroddin, A., & Mastali, M. (2019). An experimental investigation into the impacts of eccentric openings on the in-plane behavior of squat RC shear walls. Engineering Structures, 197, Article 109410. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2019.10941010.1016/j.engstruct.2019.109410 ↗
28. Le, T. T., Patel, V. I., Liang, Q. Q., Huynh, P., & Ha, N. S. (2022). Numerical analysis of square concrete-filled double-skin tubular columns with outer stainless-steel tube. Structural Concrete, 23(5), 2968–2985. https://doi.org/10.1002/suco.20210064910.1002/suco.202100649 ↗
29. Li, G., Liu, M., Pan, Z., Lu, L., & Yuan, G. (2023). Strengthening effect of steel plates on seismic behaviors of RC shear walls with various size post-openings. Structures, 51, 814–827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2023.03.05610.1016/j.istruc.2023.03.056 ↗
30. Liu, M., Yuan, G., Shu, Q., Zhang, Y., & Lu, L. (2023). Experimental and numerical investigation on the seismic behaviors of RC shear walls with multiple post-openings before and after strengthening by steel plates. Engineering Structures, 279, Article 115552. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2022.11555210.1016/j.engstruct.2022.115552 ↗
31. Mamdouh, H., Zenhom, N., Hasabo, M., Deifalla, A. F., & Salman, A. (2022). Performance of strengthened, reinforced concrete shear walls with opening. Sustainability, 14(21), 14366. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14211436610.3390/su142114366 ↗
32. McIntosh, A., Gatheeshgar, P., Poologanathan, K., Gunalan, S., Navaratnam, S., & Higgins, C. (2021). Web crippling of cold-formed carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminium channels: Investigation and design. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, 179, Article 106538. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2021.10653810.1016/j.jcsr.2021.106538 ↗
33. Mohammed, B. S., Ean, L., & Malek, M. (2013). One way RC wall panels with openings strengthened with CFRP. Construction and Building Materials, 40, 575–583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.11.08010.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.11.080 ↗
34. Mosallam, A. S., & Nasr, A. (2017). Structural performance of RC shear walls with post-construction openings strengthened with FRP composite laminates. Composites Part b, Engineering, 115, 488–504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.06.06310.1016/j.compositesb.2016.06.063 ↗
35. Muthukumar, G., & Kumar, M. (2014). Influence of opening locations on the structural response of shear wall. Journal of Nonlinear Dynamics, 2014(1), Article 858510.
36. Muthukumar, G., & Kumar, M. (2015). Influence of openings on the structural response of shear wall. Advances in Structural Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2187-6_16910.1007/978-81-322-2187-6_169 ↗
37. Nataraja, M., Dhang, N., & Gupta, A. (1999). Stress–strain curves for steel-fiber reinforced concrete under compression. Cement and Concrete Composites, 21(5–6), 383–390.10.1016/S0958-9465(99)00021-9 ↗
38. Obaidat, Y. T., Heyden, S., & Dahlblom, O. (2010). The effect of CFRP and CFRP/concrete interface models when modelling retrofitted RC beams with FEM. Composite Structures, 92(6), 1391–1398.10.1016/j.compstruct.2009.11.008 ↗
39. Özkılıç, Y. O., Aksoylu, C., Hakeem, I. Y., Özdöner, N., Kalkan, İ, Karalar, M., & Beskopylny, A. N. (2023). Shear and bending performances of reinforced concrete beams with different sizes of circular openings. Buildings, 13(8), 1989. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings1308198910.3390/buildings13081989 ↗
40. Özkılıç, Y. O., Aksoylu, C., Gemi, L., & Arslan, M. H. (2022). Behavior of CFRP-strengthened RC beams with circular web openings in shear zones: Numerical study. Structures, 41, 1369–1389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2022.05.06110.1016/j.istruc.2022.05.061 ↗
41. Sayed, A. M. (2019). Numerical study using FE simulation on rectangular RC beams with vertical circular web openings in the shear zones. Engineering Structures, 198, Article 109471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2019.10947110.1016/j.engstruct.2019.109471 ↗
42. Sennah, K., Hamoda, A., Abadel, A., Yehia, S., & Shahin, R. (2024). Shear strengthening of simply-supported deep beams with openings incorporating combined steel-reinforced engineered cementitious composites and externally bonded carbon fibre-reinforced polymer sheets. Magazine of Concrete Research. https://doi.org/10.1680/jmacr.24.0014610.1680/jmacr.24.00146 ↗
43. Wang, J.-Y., Sakashita, M., Kono, S., Tanaka, H., & Lou, W.-J. (2010). Behavior of reinforced concrete structural walls with various opening locations: Experiments and macro model. Journal of Zhejiang University Science A, 11(3), 202–211. https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.A090040010.1631/jzus.A0900400 ↗
44. Xu, Z., Yuan, G., Liu, M., Shu, Q., Zhao, Z., & Wang, Z. (2024). Effect of vertical location of post-opening on seismic behaviour of RC shear wall: Experimental and numerical analysis. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 21, Article e03940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2024.e0394010.1016/j.cscm.2024.e03940 ↗
45. Zhang, Y., Yuan, G., Shu, Q., Zhu, M., & Lu, L. (2022). Investigation on seismic behavior of RC shear walls with multiple post-construction openings based on experiment and simulation. Journal of Building Engineering, 46, Article 103707. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2021.10370710.1016/j.jobe.2021.103707 ↗
46. Zheng, Y., He, C., & Zheng, L. (2018). Experimental and numerical investigation of circular double-tube concrete-filled stainless steel tubular columns under cyclic loading. Thin-Walled Structures, 132, 151–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tws.2018.07.05810.1016/j.tws.2018.07.058 ↗
47. Zhou, J., Pan, J., & Leung, C. K. (2015). Mechanical behavior of fiber-reinforced engineered cementitious composites in uniaxial compression. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 27(1), 04014111. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)mt.1943-5533.000103410.1061/(asce)mt.1943-5533.0001034 ↗