Seismic Behavior of Buckling-Restrained Steel Plate Shear Walls With Various Interconnection Ratios

To minimize the panel forces applied on the frame columns and to safeguard the high seismic performance of the inner steel plates, the concept of buckling-restrained steel plate shear walls (BRSPSWs) with partial plate-frame connections was proposed. However, further investigation is needed to promote the application of this structure to supertall and tall structures, particularly regarding the influence of interconnection ratio on the performance of BRSPSW with various partial connection forms. In this study, finite element (FE) models of BRSPSW with groove and four-corner connections were established, and the influences of span-to-height ratio, height-to-thickness ratio, and interconnection ratio on the seismic performance were parametrically analyzed. Subsequently, calculation methods for the shear bearing capacity of partially connected BRSPSWs under different interconnection ratios were proposed, and 51 FE models were used to verify the accuracy of the calculation methods. The changes in span-to-height ratio and height-to-thickness ratio on the seismic performance indexes for two partial connection BRSPSWs with the increase of connection ratios were summarized. Recommendations for the interconnection ratios of BRSPSWs with groove and four-corner connections were provided. Additionally, the calculation formulas for the shear bearing capacity of partially connected BRSPSWs can provide accurate predictions.