Experimental behavior of innovative T-shaped composite shear walls under in-plane cyclic loading

• Test on five full-scaled specimens of innovative composite T-shaped shear walls
• Influence of different variables is explored.
• Similar failure pattern was observed.
• Comprehensive analysis to evaluate the behavior of specimens
• Stable and plentiful hysteresis behavior is characterized.

In this paper, an innovative structural wall, named bundled lipped channel-concrete (BLC-C) T-shaped composite wall, is proposed. The flange of the proposed wall consists of a cold-formed square hollow section (SHS) in the center and two cold-formed (CF) lipped channels at each side. The web of the wall is formed by connecting several lipped channels through complete joint penetration (CJP) weld. The concrete was filled into the compartments enclosed by the steel channels and tubes. Five full-scale specimens were tested under constant axial load subjected to cyclic lateral load. The variables studied in the experiments include the wall configuration, cross section of wall, steel sheet thickness, axial force ratio, and the presence of shear studs. The specimens exhibited ductile manner and experienced stable hysteresis behavior, failed in the sequence of local buckling of the wall at the base of the wall web, compressive crushing of concrete at the base of the wall web, and the fracture propagation at the boundary of the wall. The seismic behavior of the specimens was evaluated in terms of strength, stiffness, deformation, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity. The results indicate that the axial force ratio and the wall configuration detail have significant impact on the entire hysteresis behavior, while the shear studs delay the occurrence of fracture and failure.