Seismic Behavior of Self-Centering Modular Panel with Slit Steel Plate Shear Walls: Experimental Testing

Abstract

The self-centering modular panel with a slit steel plate shear wall (SCMP-SW) is a new seismic load-resisting structural component that combines recentering capabilities and energy dissipation ability. The self-centering modular panel is designed as a posttensioned steel moment resisting frame and in this study two types of SCMP-SWs with slightly different configurations are fabricated and tested, which could be potentially inserted into framed structural systems. In this paper, the prefabricated SCMP-SW is installed into a beam-through steel frame, while the slit wall is intended to serve as replaceable fuse elements for energy dissipation purposes. A series of experimental tests were conducted to investigate the cyclic loading behavior of the SCMP-SW with two different types of self-centering modular panels and slit walls. The experimental results show that SCMP-SW is capable of recentering upon unloading while retaining the moderate energy-dissipation capacity of the slit walls. It is also observed that due to the self-centering modular panel, after severe cyclic loading the system with newly replaced slit walls and a reused main frame exhibits almost identical structural performance (stiffness, strength, and recentering ability) to the original system.