Behavior of stiffened and unstiffened steel plate shear walls considering joint properties

• Hysteresis of semi-rigid composite frame with steel plate shear walls was experimentally investigated.
• The failure modes and bearing capacity of SPSW with different forms stiffener were compared.
• Analyze the joints connection stiffness of frame effect on SPSW structural performance.
• The semi-rigid frame and the shear wall work together to provide higher safety margins.

Steel plate shear wall (SPSW) systems have dual characteristics, the frame and infill wall action. The connection flexibility of frame joint not only changes the force and moment distribution, but also increases the lateral displacement and weakens the overall stability in SPSW structure. This paper presents the influence of hinged, rigid and semi-rigid connection joints on the behavior of SPSW structures. The bearing capacity, energy dissipation mechanism, failure mode, stress and deformation development process of the semi-rigid composite frame with steel plate shear walls under different stiffener forms were studied using experimental tests and finite element analysis. It was observed that with stiffeners the specimen yield load increased about 20% on the elastic stage, the ultimate bearing capacity of the diagonal stiffener was about 5% larger than the cross stiffener on the plastic stage, but the overall failure modes were basically the same. Additionally, the quantitative indications of the effect of joint stiffness on load carrying capacity were presented.