Experimental Investigation of Full-Scale Two-Story Steel Plate Shear Walls with Reduced Beam Section Connections

Keywords: Steel plate shear walls (SPSW).  Reduced beam sections (RBS).  Infill panels.  Seismic performance.  Intermediate beams.  Ground motion.  Buckling.  Cyclic tests.  Failure.  Earthquake-resistant designs.  Repairs.  Strength degradation.

Abstract: This report described a two-phase experimental research program on Steel Plate Shear Walls (SPSW), conducted in collaboration with the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE) in Taipei, Taiwan.  The research project investigated the replace ability of infill panels following an earthquake, the behavior of a repaired SPSW in a subsequent earthquake, and the seismic performance of intermediate beams.  The test specimen was a two-story SPSW that had an intermediate composite beam with reduced beam section (RBS) connections.  In Phase I, the specimen was pseudodynamically tested and subjected to three ground motions of progressively decreasing intensity.  The buckled panels were replaced by new panels prior to subjecting the specimen to a subsequent pseudo dynamic test and cyclic test to failure in Phase II.  The results showed that replacing the buckled infill panels was a viable option that would provide adequate resistance against future earthquakes.  The repaired SPSW performed well during the subsequent earthquake and dissipated a similar amount of energy without causing severe damage to the boundary frame or exhibiting overall strength degradation.