Influence of Nanoparticle-Enhanced Concrete on the Nonlinear Seismic Response of Reinforced Concrete Shear Wall

Abstract:

Reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls are fundamental lateral load–resisting components in high-rise structures, where their seismic performance is critical to ensuring structural safety. This study presents a nonlinear seismic performance evaluation of an RC shear wall using modal pushover analysis in SAP2000, with advanced material models calibrated from experimental stress–strain data. Four concrete mixes were investigated: plain concrete (PC), 2% nano-silica doped concrete (NS), 2% nano-calcium carbonate doped concrete (NC), and a 1% nano-silica + 1% nano-calcium carbonate doped concrete (NSC). The wall geometry and layered cross-section were modeled in accordance with established experimental benchmarks, while nonlinear constitutive properties were directly assigned from reported experimental curves. Pushover capacity curves (base shear–displacement) were analyzed to assess stiffness, strength, ductility, and energy dissipation. Results indicate that PC exhibited the lowest seismic capacity. NS enhanced stiffness but showed lowest ductility. The NC model provided highest ductility with balanced strength and NSC delivered the most balanced and superior performance, achieving synergistic gains in both strength and ductility. These findings highlight the potential of nanoparticle-modified concrete to significantly enhance the seismic resilience of RC shear walls, offering valuable insights for advancing performance-based seismic design in high-rise construction.

• Periodical: Construction Technologies and Architecture (Volume 23)
• Pages: 93-101
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-6LQfj1
• Online since: May 2026
• Authors: Abdul Qudoos*, Bisma Latif, Tajik Mustafa Shah, Dhanesh Kumar
• Keywords: Advanced Concrete Materials, Nano-Calcium Carbonate, Nano-Silica, Nonlinear Seismic Response, Pushover Analysis

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