Comparison of shear displacement models for reinforced concrete columns

This study investigates the influence of different shear displacement modeling approaches on the predicted seismic behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) columns. Two previously proposed shear models are applied in the open-source simulation platform OpenSees within a displacement component modeling framework. A shear-critical RC column previously tested is modeled using both approaches, and the analytical results are compared with test results. The comparison focuses on the lateral load–displacement relationship, including parameters such as peak lateral strength, initial stiffness, and post-peak strength degradation. Results indicate that both models accurately reproduce the global cyclic behavior of the tested column, with the LeBorgne and Ghannoum model better capturing the initial stiffness and unloading stiffness degradation, while the Bicici and Sezen model provides a more realistic representation of post-peak strength loss and residual displacements. The findings confirm that both shear models can reliably represent the nonlinear lateral response of non-ductile RC columns, providing useful tools to calculate the seismic performance of existing RC structures.