9416393 Wyllie Current code provisions for structural walls with openings result in substantial reinforcing requirements for both new construction and the retrofit of existing construction. In the case of retrofit, the upgrade cost is typically close to or exceeds the building replacement cost. Existing buildings are commonly demolished and replaced with a building incorporating a potentially less reliable lateral forced resisting system. The objective of this project is to develop performance- based retrofit guidelines. A focused research project is conducted to identify appropriate analysis and design methodologies for both new and existing construction. The Northridge Earthquake provides an excellent opportunity to study the performance of "older" reinforced concrete buildings constructed with perforated shear walls. The primary effort of the research will be to compare expected versus observed building performance and to assess current retrofit strategies of buildings utilizing perforated reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls for lateral load resistance. The results of the research have the potential to significantly impact the development of design guidelines for RC perforated shear walls. The project team for this research project combines the talents of "research" and "practicing" engineers. This collaborative effort will enable the project to encompass the broad spectrum of design and retrofit issues associated with perforated shear walls necessary to assess the current state-of-the-practice as well as future research needs. This is a Northridge Earthquake project. ***
