Shake table tests on a full-scale six-storey cold-formed thin-walled steel-steel plate shear wall structure

Abstract

To evaluate the seismic response of a multi-storey cold-formed thin-walled steel (CFS) structure based on the influence of nonstructural members, shake table tests were conducted on a full-scale six-storey CFS-steel plate shear wall structure (SPSWS) using bidirectional seismic inputs. The building specimen was tested at two different stages. In the first stage, the specimen mainly included structural components of walls, floors, and roofs, whereas the second stage model included all the nonstructural components. The testing program and obtained results including the observed damage, dynamic characteristics, strain response, acceleration, and displacement response were presented. Overall, this study revealed that the skin effect of lightweight wall panels, together with steel plate shear walls, resisted horizontal earthquakes and demonstrated the excellent deformation capacity and seismic performance of the CFS-SPSWS building.