Inelastic Dynamic Behavior of Hybrid Coupled Walls

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation of the seismic behavior of hybrid coupled wall systems, in which steel beams are used to couple reinforced concrete shear walls. System response is studied using transient finite element analyses that account for the effect of concrete cracking, crushing, and steel yielding. Shear stresses in the concrete constitutive model are handled separately from normal stresses, which allows concrete to undergo high shear deformations without causing premature concrete crushing in the model. The developed finite element models are validated through comparisons with more refined models and test data. Suites of analyses are conducted to investigate pertinent parameters including hazard level, earthquake record scaling, dynamic base shear magnification, interstory drift, shear distortion, coupling beam plastic rotation, and wall rotation. The analyses show that hybrid coupled walls are particularly well suited for use in regions of high seismic risk.