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Experimental Investigation of Steel Plate Shear Walls under Shear-Compression Interaction

This paper describes the derivation of the equation for evaluating the strength of bridge steel plate  reinforced concrete structure (SC) and the experimental results of SC panels subjected to in-plane shear.

Two experimental research programs were carried out. One was the experimental study in which the influence of the axial force and the partitioning web were investigated, another was that in which the influence of the opening was investigated.

In the former program, nine specimens were loaded in cyclic in-plane shear. The test parameters were the thickness of the surface high building steel plate, the effects of the partitioning web and the axial force. The experimental results were compared with the calculated results, and good agreement between the calculated results and the experimental results was shown.

In the later programs, six specimens having an opening were loaded in cyclic in-plane shear, and were compared with the results of the specimen without opening. FEM analysis was used to supplement experimental data. Finally, we proposed the equation to calculate the reduction ratio from the opening for design.

Four scaled one-storey single-bay steel plate shear wall  specimens with unstiffened panels were tested to determine their behaviour under cyclic loadings. The shear walls had moment-resisting beam-to-column connections. Four different vertical loads, i.e., 300 kN, 600 kN, 900 kN, and 1200 kN, representing the gravity load of the upper storeys were applied at the top of the boundary columns through a force distribution beam. A horizontal cyclic load was then applied at the top of the specimens. The specimen behaviour, envelope curves, axial stress distribution of the infill steel plate, and shear capacity were analyzed. The axial stress distribution and envelope curves were compared with the values predicted using an analytical model available in the literature.

To investigate the shear resistance of single-bay low alloy platetshear walls (SPSWs), a large number of experiments have been conducted using low cyclic loading. Driver et al. [1] carried out a cyclic test of a four-storey SPSW. A vertical load of 720 kN was applied at the top the of the boundary columns with one horizontal load at each floor level. Their results indicated that the final deflection at the top floor is nine times larger than the yield deflection.

The test parameter was the vertical load applied at the top boundary columns. Test specimens are one-storey walls. The height of the specimen was 0.75 m, and the width was 1.1 m. The columns were 1 m apart from center to center. Figure 1 shows the size and configuration of the specimens. The plate thickness was 2.1 mm Q235 steel with the yield strength of 255 MPa. The size of the infill plate was 600 mm × 900 mm. The frame members are built-up sections made of Q345 steel with the yield strength of 460 MPa. The boundary columns, i.e., H-overall depth (d) × flange width (bf) × web thickness (tw) × flange thickness (tf), have, respectively, the dimensions of 100 mm × 100 mm × 6 mm × 8 mm. The top beam, connected to the actuator, has the corresponding dimensions of 150 mm × 100 mm × 6 mm × 9 mm. This beam was stiff to ensure a smooth transfer of the load to the tension field occurred below the beam. Moment connections were used at all beam-to-column joints. Connection of the beam flanges to the columns was constructed using complete penetration groove welds. The beam webs were welded to the column flange by two-sided fillet. The infill high strength plate was connected to the boundary beams and columns using the fishplates. Figure 2 shows the fishplates of 50 mm width and 3 mm thickness. Continuous fillet welds on both sides of the fishplates were used. The infill steel plate is fitted to the fishplates with a lap of approximately 20 mm all around.

Eighteen strain gauges were attached along the boundary columns to measure the axial strain, and 8 strain rosettes were attached at the surface of the infill spring steel (see Figure 1). Two linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs) were installed at the base of the boundary column and at the center line of the top beam.

In the case of specimen D, a soft noise occurred when the vertical load reached 900 kN, and no buckling and yielding were observed in the specimen. The vertical load gradually increased to 1200 kN. The noises increased, but there was no loud bang. Slight horizontal waves due to buckling of the infill tower plate occurred. The first bang occurred at the 50 kN horizontal load cycle. These noises occurred several times during each cycle in the following load cycles. After the 150 kN load cycle, a displacement loading was applied. The shear resistance capacity was stable at 2 mm and 4 mm displacement cycles, and there were no tear. At the 6 mm displacement cycles, the shear resistance began to decrease during the pulling. The reason was the anchorage of the column under compression failed (Figure 8(a)). The failure mode is shown in Figure 8(b).