To　replace　the　traditional　clay-brick　structure　and　adapt　to　the　requirements　for　the　development　of　energy-saving　buildings,　the　reinforcement　concrete　(RC)　shear　wall　structure　with　a　single　layer　of　web　reinforcement　and　inclined　steel　bars　was　proposed.　Compared　with　conventional　RC　shear　wall　structures　with　double　layers　of　web　reinforcement,　it　has　the　advantages　of　smaller　wall　thickness,　simpler　construction　details　and　lower　cost.　The　inclined　steel　bars　can　prevent　base　sliding　so　that　the　shear　wall　has　higher　anti-shearing　and　energy　dissipation　capacity.　Cyclic　loading　tests　on　four　low-rise　RC　shear　walls　with　rectangle　cross　section　were　carried　out.　The　inclined　steel　bars　arrangement　and　axial　force　ratio　were　taken　as　the　major　test　variables.　Based　on　the　experimental　research,　the　failure　characteristics,　hysteresis　properties,　load-carrying　capacity,　ductility,　stiffness　and　energy　dissipation　of　each　specimen　were　analyzed.　The　seismic　performance　of　RC　shear　walls　with　inclined　steel　bars　was　compared　with　that　of　RC　shear　walls　without　the　inclined　steel　bars.　Calculative　formulas　for　the　load-carrying　capacity　of　low-rise　RC　shear　walls　with　single　web　reinforcement　and　inclined　steel　bars　were　also　established.　The　research　results　indicate　that　the　seismic　performance　of　low-rise　RC　shear　walls　with　inclined　steel　bars　is　better　than　that　of　shear　walls　without　the　inclined　steel　bars.　So　it　is　able　to　better　satisfy　the　requirements　of　seismic　design　for　multistory　residential　buildings.　©　2016,　Engineering　Mechanics　Press.　All　right　reserved.