Abstract
The flexural behaviour of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite modular wall systems was evaluated experimentally and analytically. Full-scale wall panels were tested under uniformly distributed and concentrated loads to investigate the effects of wall sheathing, types of connections between sheathing and frame, inter-panel connections, and loading direction. The results show that the investigated parameters had a significant effect on the flexural capacity and failure modes of the composite wall panels but very limited effect on their flexural stiffness. Moreover, under uniformly distributed load, the panels effectively used the high-strength properties of composite materials by minimising localised failure. The adhesive connection provided higher composite action between the frame and sheathing than riveted connections. Furthermore, bolting the wall panels together resulted in pseudo ductile failure behaviour compared to the brittle failure of the adhesive inter-panel connection. This study demonstrated the high potential of fiber composite materials for modular wall systems, but careful attention should be given to the loading conditions and panel connection details to effectively take advantage of their high strength properties.
Published Version
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