• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.107-121
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• 2022

Past studies have shown that the aspect ratio (width-to-height) of a steel plate shear wall (SPSW) can significantly affect its seismic response. SPSWs with lower aspect ratio (narrow SPSW) may experience low lateral stiffness and flexure dominated drift response. As the height of the frame increases, the narrow SPSWs prove to be uneconomical and demonstrate inferior seismic response than their wider counterparts. Moreover, the thicker web plates required for narrow SPSWs exerts high inward pull on the VBEs. The present study suggests the limiting values of the aspect ratio for an SPSW system by evaluating the seismic collapse performance of 3-, 6- and 9-story SPSW systems using FEMA P695 methodology. For this purpose, nonlinear models are developed. These models are validated with the past quasi-static experimental results. Non-linear static analyses and Incremental dynamic analyses are then carried. The results are then utilized to conservatively suggest the limiting values of aspect ratios for SPSW system. In addition to the conventional-SPSW (Conv-SPSW), the collapse performance of staggered-SPSW (S-SPSW) is also explored. Its performance is compared with the Conv-SPSW and the use of S-SPSW is suggested in the cases where SPSW with lower than recommended aspect ratio is desired.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.447-462
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• 2020

In this paper, a simplified seismic design method for low-rise dual frame-steel plate shear wall (SPSW) structures is proposed in the framework of performance-based seismic design. The dynamic response of a low-rise structure is mainly dominated by the first-mode and the structural system can be simplified to an equivalent single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) oscillator. The dual frame-SPSW structure was decomposed into a frame system and a SPSW system and they were simplified to an equivalent F-SDOF (SDOF for frame) oscillator and an equivalent S-SDOF (SDOF for SPSW) oscillator, respectively. The analytical models of F-SDOF and S-SDOF oscillators were constructed based on the OpenSees platform. The equivalent SDOF oscillator (D-SDOF, dual SDOF) for the frame-SPSW system was developed by combining the F-SDOF and S-SDOF oscillators in parallel. By employing the lateral force resistance coefficients and seismic demands of D-SDOF oscillator, the design approach of SPSW systems was developed. A 7-story frame-SPSW system was adopted to verify the feasibility and demonstrate the design process of the simplified method. The results also show the seismic demands derived by the equivalent dual SDOF oscillator have a good consistence with that by the frame-SPSW structure.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-23
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• 2016

Steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) have been shown to be efficient lateral force-resisting systems, which are increasingly used in new and retrofit construction. These structural systems are designed with either stiffened and stocky or unstiffened and slender web plates based on disparate structural and economical considerations. Based on some limited reported studies, on the other hand, employment of low yield point (LYP) steel infill plates with extremely low yield strength, and high ductility as well as elongation properties is found to facilitate the design and improve the structural behavior and seismic performance of the SPSW systems. On this basis, this paper reports system-level investigations on the seismic response assessment of multi-story SPSW frames under the action of earthquake ground motions. The effectiveness of the strip model in representing the behaviors of SPSWs with different buckling and yielding properties is primarily verified. Subsequently, the structural and seismic performances of several code-designed and retrofitted SPSW frames with conventional and LYP steel infill plates are investigated through detailed modal and nonlinear time-history analyses. Evaluation of various seismic response parameters including drift, acceleration, base shear and moment, column axial load, and web-plate ductility demands, demonstrates the capabilities of SPSW systems in improving the seismic performance of structures and reveals various advantages of use of LYP steel material in seismic design and retrofit of SPSW systems, in particular, application of LYP steel infill plates of double thickness in seismic retrofit of conventional steel and code-designed SPSW frames.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.341-351
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• 2020

Steel plate shear wall with self-centering energy dissipation braces (SPSW-SCEDB) is a lateral force-resisting system that exhibits flag-shaped hysteretic responses, which consists of two pre-pressed spring self-centering energy dissipation (PS-SCED) braces and a wall plate connected to horizontal boundary elements only. The present study conducted a series of cyclic tests to study the hysteretic performances of braces in SPSW-SCEDB and the effects of braces on the overall hysteretic characteristics of this system. The SPSW-SCEDB with PS-SCED braces only exhibits excellent self-centering capability and the energy loss caused by the large inclination angle of PS-SCED braces can be compensated by appropriately increasing the friction force. Under the combined effect of the two components, the SPSW-SCEDB exhibits a flag-shaped hysteretic response with large lateral resistance, good energy dissipation and self-centering capabilities. In addition, the wall plate is the primary energy dissipation component and the PS-SCED braces provide supplementary energy dissipation for system. The PS-SCED braces can provide up to 90% self-centering capability for the SPSW-SCEDB system. The compressive bearing capacity of the wall plate should be smaller than the horizontal remaining restoring force of the braces to achieve better self-centering effect of the system.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.76 no.6
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• pp.687-708
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• 2020

Openings in steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) are usually used for decorative designs, crossing locations of multiple utilities and/or structural objectives. However, earlier studies showed that generating an opening in an SPSW has a negative effect on the cyclic performance of the SPSW. Therefore, this study proposes tripling or doubling the steel-sheet-plate (SSP) layer and stiffening the opening of the SPSW to provide a solution to undesirable opening effects, improve the SPSW performance and provide the infill option of potential strengthening measures after the construction stage. The study aims to investigate the impact of SSP doubling with a stiffened opening on the cyclic behaviour, expand the essential data required by structural designers and quantify the SPSW performance factors. Validated numerical models were adopted to identify the influence of the chosen parameters on the cyclic capacity, energy dissipation, ductility, seismic performance factors (SPF) and stiffness of the suggested method. A finite Element (FE) analysis was performed via Abaqus/CAE software on half-scale single-story models of SPSWs exposed to cyclic loading. The key parameters included the number of SSP layers, the opening size ratios corresponding to the net width of the SSP, and the opening shape. The findings showed that the proposed assembly method found a negligible influence in the shear capacity with opening sizes of 10, 15, 20%. However, a deterioration in the wall strength was observed for openings with sizes of 25% and 30%. The circular opening is preferable compared with the square opening. Moreover, for all the models, the average value of the obtained ductility did not show substantial changes and the ultimate shear resistance was achieved after reaching a drift ratio of 4.36%. Additionally, the equivalent sectional area of the SSP in the twin and triple configuration of the SPSWs demonstrated approximately similar results. Compared with the single SSP layer, the proposed configuration of the twin SSP layer with a stiffened opening suggest to more sufficiency create SSP openings in the SPSW compared to that of other configurations. Finally, a tabular SPF quantification is exhibited for SPSWs with openings.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2019

In the present study, the behavior of steel plate shear walls (SPSW) with variable column flexural stiffness is experimentally and numerically investigated. Altogether six one-bay one-story specimens, three moment resisting frames (MRFs) and three SPSWs, were designed, fabricated and tested. Column flexural stiffness of the first specimen pair (one MRF and one SPSW) corresponded to the value required by the design codes, while for the second and third pair it was reduced by 18% and 36%, respectively. The quasi-static cyclic test result indicate that SPSW with reduced column flexural stiffness have satisfactory performance up to 4% story drift ratio, allow development of the tension field over the entire infill panel, and cause negligible column "pull-in" deformation which indicates that prescribed minimal column flexural stiffness value, according to AISC 341-10, might be conservative. In addition, finite element (FE) pushover simulations using shell elements were developed. Such FE models can predict SPSW cyclic behavior reasonably well and can be used to conduct numerical parametric analyses. It should be mentioned that these FE models were not able to reproduce column "pull-in" deformation indicating the need for further development of FE simulations with cyclic load introduction which will be part of another paper.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.353-365
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• 2023

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) have emerged as a novel functional material that is being increasingly applied in diverse fields including medical, aeronautical and structural engineering to be used in the active, passive and semi-active structural control devices. This paper is mainly aimed at evaluating the ductility and response modification factor of the steel plate shear wall (SPSW) frames with and without the Ni-Ti shape memory alloys. To this end, different configurations were utilized, in which the walls were used in the first, third, middle, and all stories. The models were numerically analyzed using OpenSees Software. The obtained results indicate that improving the shape memory properties of alloys can greatly enhance the ductility and response modification factor. Furthermore, the model whose first and third stories are equipped with the SMA shear wall was found to be 290% more ductile, with a greater response modification factor compared to the unequipped frame.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.777-799
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• 2016

One of the major components for performance based seismic design is accurate estimation of critical seismic demand parameters. While nonlinear seismic analysis is the most appropriate analysis method for estimation of seismic demand parameters, this method is very time consuming and complex. Single mode pushover analysis method, N2 method and multi-mode pushover analysis method, modal pushover analysis (MPA) are two nonlinear static methods that have recently been used for seismic performance evaluation of few lateral load-resisting systems. This paper further investigates the applicability of N2 and MPA methods for estimating the seismic demands of ductile unstiffened steel plate shear walls (SPSWs). Three different unstiffened SPSWs (4-, 8-, and 15-storey) designed according to capacity design approach were analysed under artificial and real ground motions for Vancouver. A comparison of seismic response quantities such as, height-wise distribution of floor displacements, storey drifts estimated using N2 and MPA methods with more accurate nonlinear seismic analysis indicates that both N2 and MPA procedures can reasonably estimates the peak top displacements for low-rise SPSW buildings. In addition, MPA procedure provides better predictions of inter-storey drifts for taller SPSW. The MPA procedure has been extended to provide better estimate of base shear of SPSW.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.87-108
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• 2010

A Steel Plate Shear Wall (SPSW) is a lateral load resisting system consisting of an infill plate located within a frame. When buckling occurs in the infill plate of a SPSW, a diagonal tension field is formed through the plate. The study of the tension field behavior regarding the distribution and orientation patterns of principal stresses can be useful, for instance to modify the basic strip model to predict the behavior of SPSW more accurately. This paper investigates the influence of torsional and out-of-plane flexural rigidities of boundary members (i.e. beams and columns) on the buckling coefficient as well as on the distribution and orientation patterns of principal stresses associated with the buckling modes. The linear buckling equations in the sense of von-Karman have been solved in conjunction with various boundary conditions, by using the Ritz method. Also, in this research the effects of symmetric and anti-symmetric buckling modes and complete anchoring of the tension field due to lacking of in-plane bending of the beams as well as the aspect ratio of plate on the behavior of tension field and buckling coefficient have been studied.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.937-953
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• 2014

A semi-active control platform comprising the mechanical model of magnetorheological (MR) dampers, the bang-bang control law and damage material models is developed, and the simulation method of steel plate shear wall (SPSW) and optimization method for capacity design of MR dampers are proposed. A 15-story steel frame-SPSW structure is analyzed to evaluate the seismic performance of nonlinear semi-active controlled structures with optimal designed MR dampers, results indicate that the control platform and simulation method are stable and fast, and the damage accumulation effects of uncontrolled structure are largely reduced, and the seismic performance of controlled structures has been improved.