Cyclic tests and shear resistance design of stiffened corrugated steel plate shear walls

Abstract

Corrugated steel plate shear walls (CSPSWs) are commonly employed as lateral-load-resisting components in regions with high seismic activity. In order to enhance their shear resistance, stiffeners can be affixed to CSPSWs, forming stiffened CSPSWs (S-CSPSWs). This paper presents experimental and numerical investigations into S-CSPSWs. Firstly, two specimens were tested under cyclic shear loads, one of which was an unstiffened CSPSW specimen, while the other was an S-CSPSW specimen. The typical failure modes observed from the test were global buckling and fracture of the corrugated steel plate (CSP). Both specimens exhibited stable hysteretic loops and excellent energy dissipation. It was observed that the stiffeners could constrain the out-of-plane deformation of the CSP, thus increasing its energy dissipation capacity. However, the fracture during the initial stage reduced the shear-carrying capacity and energy dissipation capacity. Subsequently, a finite element (FE) model is developed to simulate the test results. Additionally, the elastic buckling loads of S-CSPSWs are investigated by employing the validated FE model. The shear buckling coefficient is estimated by introducing a rigidity ratio between the stiffeners and the CSP. Finally, the shear resistance design method is established and is helpful in promoting the application of S-CSPSWs. The design formulas proposed in this paper agree well with the FE analysis results and can be effectively implemented in practice.