Abstract
This paper identifies the inherent strengths/weaknesses of rigid timber-framed partitions and quantifies the onset drifts for different damage thresholds under bi-directional seismic actions. It reports construction and quasi-static lateral cyclic testing of a multi-winged timber-framed partition wall specimen with details typical of New Zealand construction practice. Furthermore, the cyclic performance of the tested rigid timber-framed partition wall is also compared with that of similar partition walls incorporating ‘partly-sliding’ connectiondetails, and ‘seismic gaps’, previously tested under the same test setup. Based on the experimentally recorded cyclic performance measures, theoretical equations proposed/derived in the literature to predict the ultimate strength, initial stiffness, and drift capacity of different damage states are scrutinized, and some equations are updated in order to alleviate identified possible shortcomings. These theoretical estimates are then validated with the experimental results. It is found that the equations can reasonably predict the initial stiffness and ultimate shear strength of the partitions, as well as the onset-driftscorresponding to the screw damage and diagonal buckling failure mode of the plasterboard. The predicted bi-linear curve is also found to approximate the backbone curve of the tested partition wall sensibly.
Highlights
Non-structural elements (NSEs) include secondary systems or components attached to the floors, roofs, and walls of a building or industrial facility that are not explicitly designed to participate in the main vertical or lateral load-bearing mechanism of the structure
Within the broad spectrum of NSEs, suspended ceilings, piping, and partition walls were identified as significant contributors to the financial loss following earthquakes [3,9,12,13]
The maximum shear force, initial stiffness, expected drifts for screw damage, and gypsum plasterboard buckling are calculated for the timber-framed wall (TFW) specimen using the equations 12, 10, 18, and 14, (a) At top of the junctions. (b) At the bottom of the junctions
Summary
Non-structural elements (NSEs) include secondary systems or components attached to the floors, roofs, and walls of a building or industrial facility that are not explicitly designed to participate in the main vertical or lateral load-bearing mechanism of the structure. Typical examples of NSEs include internal non-loadbearing partitions, suspended ceilings, sprinkler piping systems, architectural claddings, building contents, mechanical/electrical equipment, and furnishings They play a major role in the operational and functional aspects of buildings and contribute a major portion of the building’s overall cost [2,3,4,5]. Interior partitions are commonly constructed with gypsum-plasterboard linings on both sides of the steel or timber frame and are usually not intended to act as shear walls. Due to their presence in abundance, their cumulative lateral strength and stiffness are found to alter a building’s dynamics, especially under low-level seismic excitation [24]. The seismic performance of these specimens is briefly compared with those of low-damage partition walls incorporating "seismic gaps" [31], which were tested under the same setup
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