The Wall-Frame Interaction in Composite FRP-Steel Plate Shear Walls

This paper investigated the interactive behaviors of infill walls and frames in steel plate shear wall (SPSW) systems reinforced by fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs), using the finite element method. The effects of the system aspect ratio/height as well as the fiber type/orientation/content are also considered in the study. The results show that, in general, the use of FRPs improves the system strength/energy dissipation/secant stiffness, while it adversely affects the system ductility and it has no significant or clear effect on the system initial stiffness/damping ratio. The fiber modulus of elasticity and tensile strength properties have a dominant role in the composite system strength, while its ductility plays a major role in the failure time of FRPs. The use of FRPs slightly increases the level of stresses in the frame, while it affects the growth of stresses and thus the effectiveness of the infill wall in the initial stages of loading. In single-story SPSWs, the use of FRPs affects mainly the infill wall behavior, while in multi-story ones, due to a greater degree of wall-frame interaction, it affects both of the infill wall and frame behaviors.