Abstract
This paper presents the development and the calibration of numerical models to analyse the structural behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) structural walls, as described in the experimental campaign presented in (Zhang et al., 2019). The two specimens used in the modelling process – one reinforced with steel bars and the other reinforced with GFRP bars, have the same dimensions and were tested under reversed cyclic lateral displacement combined with a constant vertical load. Corresponding to the two specimens, the authors of this research paper developed two numerical models. The numerical simulations were performed with the software VecTor2, which has not yet been largely explored for GFRP-reinforced walls. Following the numerical analysis, the obtained results were compared with those from the experimental tests. It was observed that the plane stress state approach for the modelling of the two RC wall provides satisfactory results, considering the limitations that this approach implies, in particular considering that energy dissipation in the GFRP-wall arises mainly from concrete confinement. One advantage of this approach is the relatively short period of time needed to create the numerical models compared to other modelling approaches. The global response of the models approximately reproduces the one obtained experimentally.