Experimental research on the seismic properties of shear wall reinforced with high‐strength bars and magnetorheological dampers

Abstract

Magnetorheological (MR) damper was a kind of smart instrument, and it was very suitable for the semi-active control. In this research, a large-scale MR damper working in the shear mode of the MR fluid was developed to enhance the mechanical properties of the shear wall. The influence of MR damper on the mechanical properties of the shear walls, such as stiffness, strength, ductility, and the energy dissipation capacity, had been researched. Firstly, both the model of MR damper and shear wall were established to optimize the properties of the MR damper and shear wall. Then, three different concrete shear walls were fabricated, which were reinforced by carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) bars (W-1), CFRP bars and MR dampers (W-2), and steel strands and MR dampers (W-3), respectively. The mechanical properties of the specimens were experimentally researched and analyzed. The experimental results showed that the ductility, the ability to bear external loads, stiffness, and energy dissipation capacity of the shear walls could be enhanced by the MR damper simultaneously. Compared with W-1, the ductility, the ability to bear external loads, ultimate deformation, and energy-dissipation capacity of W-2 increased by 4.1%, 26.8%, 83.9%, and 35.8%, respectively. The residual deformation of the three shear walls was almost the same. The results indicated that the MR damper could enhance the mechanical properties of the shear walls and had no influence on the self-centering capacity of the shear walls at the same time.