Empirical redistribution procedure to improve accuracy of linear elastic analysis of shear walls in load-bearing masonry

An empirical procedure for more accurate calculation of the shear wall forces has been developed. The improvements in accuracy are achieved by taking into account the level of the design compressive stress on slip joints and the potential of the joint to slip. The procedure has been validated by applying it to calculate shear forces in three different building types and then comparing results to the nonlinear analysis. It appears from this validation study that the proposed empirical procedure has the potential to double the accuracy of the standard method, with is the most popular method in practical design.