Confinement effect on the behavior factor of dual reinforced concrete moment-resisting systems with shear walls

Lateral pressure plays a significant role in the stress-strain relationship of compressed concrete. Concrete's internal cracking resistance, ultimate strain, and axial strength are improved by confinement. This phenomenon influences the nonlinear behavior of reinforced concrete columns. Utilizing behavior factors to predict the nonlinear seismic responses of structures is prevalent in seismic codes, and this factor plays a vital role in the seismic responses of structures. This study aims to evaluate the confining action on the behavior factor of reinforced concrete moment resisting frames (RCMRFs) with shear walls (SWRCMRFs). To this end, a diverse range of mid-rise SW-RCMRFs was initially designed based on the Iranian national building code criteria. Second, the stress-strain curve of each element was modeled twice, both with and without the confinement phenomenon. Each frame was then subjected to pushover analysis. Finally, the analytical behavior factors of these frames were computed and compared to the Iranian seismic code behavior factor. The results demonstrate that confining action increased the behavior factors of SW-RCMRFs by 7-12%.