Continuously Stiffened Composite Web Shear Links: Tests and Numerical Model Validation

Abstract

Experiments were carried out on shear links with webs made from two metal sheets vulcanized to an elastomeric core to investigate the concept of utilizing continuous web stiffening as means of enhancing the hysteretic behavior. The links were designed for the same nominal strengths and were subjected to increasing cyclic deformations. Two different link aspect ratios were considered with two different core thicknesses. The composite web increased the maximum strength and postbuckling capacity of deep shear links dominated by elastic buckling, but the links were not able to achieve the link plastic shear capacity. Although the use of the elastomer core increased the out-of-plane stiffness of the web, the failure mode was still characterized by web tearing caused by localized regions of reversing out-of-plane buckling zones. Performance expectations were exceeded by an unstiffened base link that achieved the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) deformation requirement with minimal strength degradation. Results from the experimental analysis were used to develop and validate a numerical model.