Effect of Size and Location of Openings on the Structural Behavior of Walls of Reinforced Self-Compacting Concrete Incorporating Attapulgite as a Partial Replacement of Cement

Abstract

This experimental investigation is about the structural performance of sustainable self-compacting concrete walls exposed to eccentric axial regularly dispersed loading, including the effect of openings (location and dimensions) by one-way and two-way action. The experimental program includes testing twelve wall panels, the eccentricity of the loading system equivalent to one-sixth of depth. These wall panels are separated into four groups, each one of them consisting of three specimens in addition to two reference solid samples, all specimens with dimensions (80×50×5) cm. First and second groups clarify the opening’s effect by one and two-way action with various dimensions (15×25, 20×30 and 20×40) cm. The results indicated a decrease in failure load of about 10.52 %, 14.7%, and 23.68% for one way and 12.195 %, 13.88%, and 24.39% for two way as dimensions of openings increased from (15×25 to 20×30), (20×30 to 20×40) and (15×25 to 20×40) respectively. In the third and fourth groups for the effect of opening’s locations by one and two-way action, failure load decreased as they approached the edges 11.76%, 10% for one way, and 13.88 %, 3.2% for two way decreasing for (center to centerline near edge, and from the last to corner) respectively.