The shear performance of DSCW-RC joints with lap-spliced steel bars

Abstract

The double steel plate concrete composite shear wall (DSCW) structure combines the advantages of steel and concrete, offering high strength, stiffness, and durability. The joint formed by the DSCW and reinforced concrete foundation (RC foundation) was often unavoidable in engineering practice. Research related to the mechanical behavior of the DSCW-RC foundation is limited. This paper investigated the shear performance of DSCW-RC joints with lap-spliced steel bars. A total of seven specimens were designed and tested. The influences of steel plate thickness, steel bar arrangement, and stud spacing on the shear behavior of the joints are elucidated. The test results indicate that the predominant failure mode of the specimens occurred in the upper part of the local steel plate, with reinforcement yielding. While steel bar diameter and stud spacing minimally affected the shear strength, they significantly influenced the failure displacement at the joint interface. The failure deformation increased with increasing steel bar diameter and decreased with increasing stud spacing. Moreover, the thickness of the steel plate profoundly impacted structural shear strength and deformation, with both deformation and bearing capacity increasing with plate thickness. In addition, this study explores the force-transferring mechanism of such joints under shear load, offering a crucial reference for subsequent analyses of the composite force mechanism of DSCW - RC foundation joints.