Elastic equivalent multi-bar models for corrugated steel plate shear walls in structural analysis

Abstract

The corrugated steel plate shear wall (CPSW) embedded within frames demonstrates high shear-bearing capacity and excellent energy dissipation performance even with relatively thin plates. It is essential to calculate the internal elastic forces and deformations in structural design. However, modeling CPSWs with shell elements results in high computational costs, making it necessary to develop an equivalent simplified model for CPSWs. To this end, based on the shear-bearing mechanism of CPSWs, the CPSW is equivalently simplified into a model of densely spaced beams or columns connected to the frame’s beams and columns, termed multi horizontal bar or multi vertical bar model. Multi-bars model with fixed connection to beams or columns behaving as multi-bar framing model is established to simulate shear-resistant behavior of CPSWs based on almost zero compressive stiffness in the direction perpendicular to the corrugations. The basic methodology of this research is to ensure that the initial equivalent stiffness of the multi-bar frame model aligns precisely with that of the refined finite element model (FEM). This alignment requires defining fundamental principles for determining the quantity and stiffness properties of both multi horizontal bars and multi vertical bars in the model. First, CPSW examples covering typical engineering dimensions are designed. The elastic load–lateral displacement curves under horizontal shear are subsequently calculated separately for the multi-bar frame model and the refined shell element model. From the comparison between these curves, the initial shear stiffness coefficients are identified, followed by deriving a formula to calculate the initial shear stiffness through parameter fitting. Comparative results between the two models indicate that the simplified equivalent model for calculating the elastic internal forces and lateral displacements of frame-CPSW structures not only streamlines structural analysis and enhances computational efficiency but also satisfies the accuracy standards required for structural strength design. Therefore, this model can be reliably applied in overall elastic calculations in structural design.