Experimental Study and Numerical Simulation on Hybrid Coupled Shear Wall with Replaceable Coupling Beams

The coupled shear wall with replaceable coupling beams is a current research hotspot, while still lacking comprehensive studies that combine both experimental and numerical approaches to describe the global performance of the structural system. In this paper, hybrid coupled shear walls (HSWs) with replaceable coupling beams (RCBs) are studied. The middle part of the coupling beam is replaced with a replaceable “fuse”. Four ½-scale coupled shear wall specimens including a conventional reinforced concrete shear wall (CSW) and three HSWs (F1SW/F2SW/F3SW) with different kinds of replaceable “fuses” (Fuse 1/Fuse 2/Fuse 3) are tested through cyclic loading. Fuse 1 is an I-shape steel with a rhombic opening at the web; Fuse 2 is a double-web I-shape steel with lead filled in the gap between the two webs; Fuse 3 consists of two parallel steel tubes filled by lead. The comparison of seismic properties of the four shear walls in terms of failure mechanism, hysteretic response, strength degradation, stiffness degradation, energy consumption, and strain response is presented. The nonlinear finite element analysis of four shear walls is conducted by ABAQUS software. The deformation process, yielding sequence of components, skeleton curves, and damage distribution of the walls are simulated and agree well with the experimental results. The primary benefit of HSWs is that the damage of the coupling beam is concentrated at the replaceable “fuse”, while other parts remain intact. Besides, because the “fuse” can dissipate much energy, the damage of the wall-piers is also alleviated. In addition, among the three HSWs, F1SW possesses the best ductility and load retention capacity while F2SW possesses the best energy dissipation capacity. Based on this comprehensive study, some suggestions for the conceptual design of HSWs are further proposed.