With reference to this discussion t 1

[Gaurav Malya]

With reference to this discussion thread167-379105
ACI 318-14 talks about designing the vertical wall elements in the shear wall as a 'Wall Pier' or a 'Wall' depending on the cross section aspect ratios and height to length ratios.
When the categorization is something like (lw/bw) <2.5 and (hw/lw) > 2 , the code precisely says that the vertical element behaves as a column and we will have to design and detail it for double curvature inelastic bending.
In such a scenario how will we have to treat the horizontal wall elements (that is the portion of the wall in between the openings)?
Is ACI talking about this? Or is there any other codal references ?

 

[MrHershey]

These would be coupling beams. ACI covers their design in the special shear wall sections. Similar to wall piers, they have different requirements depending on what aspect ratio they are.

If you actually have a scenario where your wall is comprised mostly of piers that are slender enough to need to meet special moment frame column requirements, I would think you should also need your coupling beams to meet special moment frame beam requirements.

 

[Gaurav Malya]

@ MrHershey Thanks a lot for your response.