Concrete walls weakened by openings as compression members: A review

The purpose of this paper is to review the advances that have been made in the design of monolithic and
precast reinforced concrete walls, both with and without openings, subject to eccentrically applied axial
loads. Using the results of previous experimental studies, a database was assembled to enable statistical
assessment of the reliability of existing design models. Several design aspects are highlighted, including
the size and position of openings, and the roles of boundary conditions and geometric characteristics. In
addition, the performance of fiber-reinforced polymers in strengthening wall openings is discussed. Overall
it is found that design codes provide more conservative results than alternative design models that
have been proposed in recent studies. Research into the strengthening of walls with openings is still in
its early stages, and further studies in this area are needed. The paper therefore concludes by highlighting
some areas where new investigations could provide important insights into the structural behaviour of
strengthened elements.