Reinforced concrete coupled shear walls provide efficient structural systems for multistorey buildings in the range 30 - 35 storeys. Coupled shear walls are also used in combination with structural frames for greater heights. In addition to gravity loads they are normally designed to resist lateral loads due to wind and seismic effects. Practical coupled shear walls will have single, multiple or staggered bands of openings. In this paper coupled shear walls with one and two bands of openings are discussed. The ultimate strength analysis of reinforced concrete coupled shear walls with one and two bands of openings requires a two-stage approach. In the first stage the analysis of the coupling beams is carried out. This is followed, in the second stage, by the analysis of complete walls. A simple approach based on the 'total moment concept' for the analysis of coupled shear walls with one and two bands of openings is presented. Experimental results supporting the predictions of the mode of failure and the ultimate strength are also presented. This study updates previous research and enhances further understanding of the behaviour of reinforced concrete coupled shear wall structures at ultimate limit states of loading.

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