Concrete bearing wall - slenderness effects

[mark519]

If I meet the requirements of ACI 14.5 - Empirical Design Method, then can I design any concrete bearing wall by this method? At what point do I need to consider slenderness effects per ACI Chapter 10 or ACI 14.8? I have a 12" concrete bearing wall that is 18'-4" high. The architects have asked me to make the wall thinner (10", 8", etc.) and I wanted to know at what point does my wall become slender and require a design other than the Empirical Design Method.

 

[tolchijb]

You will have to go to section 10.10 or 14.8 of ACI 318 if your load resultant is outside the middle third of the wall. 14.5 is very conservative. 14.8 will allow for a thinner wall, but reinforcing tends to be conservative. 10.10 will allow for the thinnest wall with the most reasonable reinforcement..

 

[ash060]

You can use it as long as you meet the minimum requirements for it. The load has to stay within the kern and the thickness cannot be less than 1/25 of the height or length. In your case the wall has to be at least 8.8" thick. If there is a lot of lateral load on it I doubt that you will be within the kern.

 

[asixth]

Is it just a bearing wall or is it a core or other wall with returns. Just a wall integral with rc slabs, the le/r would be 60 which is slender in my consider. Depending on the magnitude of forces the slenderness needs to be considered.