structural system 1

[ccliran]

In the design of a 17 story reinforced concrete building with a structural system consisting of a post-tensioned flat slab + columns and special reinforced concrete shear walls; there are differences between the designer engineers and the controller engineers in determining the structural system for calculating the Response modification coefficient (R). We believe that this building is a building frame system with special reinforced concrete shear walls, whereas the controller engineers believe that it is a bearing wall system + special reinforced concrete shear walls. Could you please inform me of any code references or valid documents which I could determine the structural system of this building. As access to such references may not be possible for me I would appreciate it if you would email me the pages or documents related to this topic.

 

[ishvaaag]

Just an opinion, and not more since now I have not the USA codes. A 17 story high thing having intently designed shear walls to take the lateral forces rarely would be labeled by now a "bearing wall" system. This would disqualify all the design trajectory of people that came to use shear walls to take lateral forces, not as something they needed at all from a vertical forces' viewpoint.

Other thing is how a proper evaluation of one reasonable lateral force under a given code is made. From what you say, one thinks the comptroller by conviction, misconfidence or intent is attempting to get the higher lateral forces that could be thought be applicable to your building. This may or may not be right, depending upon the specific code, what assumptions are made in it, and of course the way of construction of the structure. You could enhance through details the lateral force aspect of your design, but it may throw you out of your ways.

Other thing and more basic and general is that more and more, a bearing wall is thought to be a thing of masonry items, and not a well engineered RC structure with shearwalls.

 

[AlohaBob]

If the concrete shearwalls are the means by which the gravity loads are carried, the shearwalls are also a bearing wall system. Due to the dual nature of their function, they would recieve greater attention which is reflected in the response coefficient.