Experimental study on the seismic performance of GFRP-stiffened steel plate shear walls

Abstract

This study conducted experimental investigations to evaluate the seismic performance of steel plate shear wall (SPSW) with infilled flat and corrugated steel plates stiffened by GFRP plates. Four half-scale specimens were subjected to cyclic quasi-static tests, comprising two specimens with ordinary flat and corrugated steel plates, and two specimens with flat and corrugated steel plates reinforced by GFRP plates. The objective of this study was to reveal how the form of steel plates (flat or corrugated) and the arrangement of GFRP plates influenced the seismic performance of SPSW. The research discussed the failure modes, lateral load-bearing mechanism, ultimate shear resistances, and energy-dissipating capacities of the different specimens. The experimental findings demonstrated that incorporating GFRP plates provided more effective reinforcement for corrugated SPSW compared to flat SPSW. According to the experimental data, the ultimate lateral load-bearing capacity, ductility, and energy-dissipating of the GFRP-stiffened corrugated steel plate shear wall have been increased by 9.3%, 46.4%, and 79.9% respectively compared with the unstiffened one, and the degree of stiffness degradation has been reduced by 10.2%. The findings of this study will provide important references for subsequent research on GFRP-stiffened steel plate shear walls.