A softened strut-and-tie model for determining the shear strength of squat walls is proposed in this paper. The proposed model originates from the strut-and-tie concept and satisfies equilibrium, compatibility, and constitutive laws of cracked reinforced concrete. The shear capacities of 62 squat walls were calculated and compared with the available experimental results, and reasonable agreement was obtained. Based on the collected experimental data in this paper, the proposed physical model was used to study the effects of boundary elements, cyclic loading, and vertical loads on the wall shear strength. The softened strut-and-tie model can be further developed to improve the current shear wall design procedures by incorporating the actual shear resisting mechanisms in predicting shear strength of walls.
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