In this paper a simplified maximum strength formula of framed RC shear walls with an opening is proposed, and its analytical accuracy is investigated by analyzing the maximum strength of one hundred and seventeen specimens executed in Japan since 1981. This simplified maximum strength formula is derived from equilibrium conditions of the simplified macroscopic model based on the lower bound theorem of the limit analysis. From the analysis using the simplified maximum strength formula, it is obtained that the values of mean, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation for the ratios of the observed maximum strengths to the analytical ones are 1.002, 0.142, and 0.142, respectively. This result shows that the simplified maximum strength formula is adequate for evaluating the maximum strength of the RC framed shear walls with an opening.
