Experimental evaluation of dual frame structures with thin-walled steel panels

• Paper aimed at investigating structural performance of SPSW frames with rigid and semi-rigid connections.
• Monotonic and cyclic tests have been performed on four half scale models.
• Shear wall plate acts as gusset plates and stiffen the beam-to-column connections and the frame members.
• The frame contribution increases when rigid connections are used between boundary members.
• q factor ranges from 5.0 to 5.7 and shows SPSW structures have good ductility.

Steel plate shear walls (SPSW) are efficient structural systems for resisting lateral loads owing to their high initial stiffness and stable cyclic behavior in the plastic range. The seismic response may be improved by connecting plate walls through link beams. Beam-to-column connections may range from simple connections to full rigid moment resisting connections. Given that initial stiffness is provided mainly by the plates' rigidity, simple connections between horizontal and vertical boundary elements can be employed. Rigid, but expensive, connections may prove more beneficial than simple ones by increasing the frame capacity and also reducing residual drift after an earthquake. The more cost-effective semi-rigid connections between these members are also expected to increase capacity and reduce residual drift in comparison to simple connections. This study investigates the behavior of dual steel frames with thin walled steel shear walls and link beams. Four half-scale specimens were tested under monotonic and cyclic loading for characterizing energy dissipation and evaluating seismic behavior factors. The specimens exhibited good, stable behavior. The rigid beam-to-column connections, when compared to the semi-rigid ones, improved the ultimate capacity and dissipated energy. The experimental program provides a basis for validating a numerical model of slender SPSW.