Steel-Plate Composite Shear Wall - Specimen No.4 (SC4)

An experimental study investigated the behavior of large-scale steel-plate composite (SC) walls subjected to cyclic lateral loading. Four large-size specimens (SC1 through SC4) were constructed and tested under displacement-controlled cyclic loading in the NEES laboratory at the University at Buffalo, with support from Bowen Laboratory at Purdue University. The aspect ratio (height-to-length, "H/L" ) of all four walls was 1.0.
The specimens were anchored to a concrete basemat with a pre-tensioned bolted connection that was designed to be stronger than the walls. The design parameters considered in the investigation were wall thickness, reinforcement ratio, stud spacing, and tie bar spacing.
The pre-test analyses, global force-displacement responses, contributions of the steel faceplates and infill concrete to the lateral resistance, load transfer between the faceplates and infill concrete, and damage to the face plates and infill are documented. The four SC walls failed in a flexural mode characterized by tensile cracking of the concrete, tensile yielding of the steel plates, crushing of concrete at the toes of the wall, outward local buckling of the steel faceplates, and fracture of the steel faceplates.