Modeling of Link Beams in shear walls

[STsandiego]

Does anybody have experience or tips on the modeling of Link beams for high rises?

We are using Etabs. Link beams suck a lot of shear and moment that makes them not designable. Have you ever had this issue before?

I know that we can play with the depth ,span,crack section assumption and the number of Link beams and we have done that before.

What is your approach or Tips?

 

[prsconsultant]

Cracked section properties for link beam material is very important. We typically use 10% for link beams and 35% for walls.

 

[Murali27]

As we know that the crack section properties to be estimated with stress state of uncracked sections, usually for beams 50% cracked compared to vertical elements, columns, walls (unless they are in tension).

For link beams, it is trial and error method of reducing the cracked section properties and revise the design.

In the past, we used to get struck with shear capacity of the link beam, usually we increase the width of link beam, which needs to be coordinated with contractor. It is possible to achieve this.

Hope that this is helpful

 

[STsandiego]

Thanks for all your inputs.
Murali27:
do you mean that your link beams will get wider than your shear walls?
and if that is the case, how do you develope your bending reinforcements at the bot of your link beams?