This work
introduces the concept of rocking structures with the property of
self–centering, with a special focus on Rocking Walls (RWs), as
damage–controlling structures, to incorporate them into the new Seismic Design
Code of El Salvador. In this regard, analytical models using finite element
methods based on the multiple axial spring macro model and the shear flexure
interaction multi–vertical line element model (SFI–MVLEM) are developed in the
software OpenSees, to predict the non–linear behavior of both RWs and Reinforced
Concrete (RC) walls, in order to analytically evaluate the influence of large
axial loads in terms of energy and provide design recommendations for RWs to
control axial–flexural behavior and to calculate design capacities and demands.
The analysis of the influence of axial load revealed that base shear increases
with axial load ratio, which is more accentuated in RWs than in RC walls with
the 86%. The hysteretic damping, in contrast to base shear, reduces for RC
walls, while for RWs increases, this due to the inelastic energy dissipation,
which depends on both strength and ductility, and is essentially the same in
spite of the axial load ratio for RC walls and increases with axial load ratio
in RWs, because of hysteretic behavior.
Keywords: Self–Centering, Rocking, OpenSees, Hysteretic Damping, Residual Drift.