This article originates from an experimental program and nonlinear finite element analysis aimed at examining how pozzolanic concrete influences the behavior of RC shear walls with openings. To achieve this, stress-strain diagrams, and the elastic modulus of 33 cylindrical concrete specimens, each containing varying percentages of silica fume and zeolite (ranging from 0% to 25%), were evaluated. The impact of silica fume and zeolite pozzolans on the ductility and load-bearing capacity of RC shear walls with openings was explored. This was done by analyzing the mechanical properties of the specimens and integrating them into the analytical model. Subsequently, a shear wall with conventional concrete was simulated using the finite element method (FEM). The study delved into the effects of substituting the initial concrete with pozzolanic concrete within the shear wall. Additionally, it investigated the simultaneous reduction in the diameter of the reinforcing bars employed, all in the pursuit of attaining the optimal design for these walls. The findings demonstrated that employing pozzolanic concrete in shear walls, coupled with a balanced configuration of rebar, led to heightened ductility, improved energy absorption, and an enhanced load-bearing capacity for the walls.

Various methods are available to reinforce concrete members and structures. Wrapping the concrete beams with composite sheets is one of the suggested methods for increasing the load bearing capacity of concrete beams and specially those containing opening. In this paper, the influence of using two composite sheets reinforced with carbon (CFRP) and glass (GFRP) is studied on increasing the strength of concrete beams having opening. A number of concrete beams with and without openings were modeled in ANSYS and using the nonlinear analyses, the initial cracking load, ultimate failure load, cracking pattern and deflection were determined numerically for each beam. Different wrapping schemes were examined for increasing the load bearing capacity of the opening section and it was concluded that wrapping from both inside and exterior of opening with the mentioned composite patches provide the most enhancement in the opening zone. Also the CFRP patch showed better performance in comparison with the GFRP wrapping.