Experimental shear-dominated response of RC walls: Part I: Objectives, methodology and results

An extensive test programme, aiming at studying the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) walls under extreme conditions leading to shear failure, is described. A new test set-up, designed for this experimental programme with the purpose of imposing beam behaviour and, at the same time, maintaining a low shear ratio, is presented. A description of observed behaviour is offered. Special emphasis is given to the features that are failure mode dependent.