RC Wall Thickness Reduction

[otto_eng]

Hi all,

I have a relatively easy question to the experienced structural engineers in the forum.
I have a 10” 6 story high RC shear wall , which is currently bearing on a 12” basement wall. The architect wants to reduce the basement wall from 12” to 10”.
I would like to know what kind of checks you would go through. Compression wise there is no problem. And also packing Compresion/Tension reinforcement at the end of the 10” shear wall into the basement wall should not be a problem.
I just would like to know if you guys would any other checks in this kind of a situation.
Cheers

 

[Luceid]

So there is an existing concrete wall that you are going to remove 2 inches from? Wouldn't you most likely run into the basement wall's reinforcement?

Or maybe this wall has just been designed as 12" so far and is being revised in design to 10" (Not built yet)?

 

[otto_eng]

There is no existing conc wall. It will be a design revision. @luceid

 

[Luceid]

Ah okay - easier then. Just design the basement wall the same way, just with less thickness. A couple of extra considerations would definitely be any soil loading applied to the basement wall which would have to be carried in addition to any of the loads from above. Also if your basement wall is in fact in contact with soil (as I assume it is) your minimum concrete cover will jump up to 3 inches so if you want reinforcement to be lapped between the walls you might need to think about how to navigate that transition if your bars above the basement are closer to the wall face.