Shake-table testing of 2-story steel framed building with self-centering modular panels and slit steel plate walls

Recent numerical study and cyclic testing results have suggested that the self-centering modular panels (SCMP) offer a promising prefabricated structural panel technology for enhanced seismic performance of beam-through steel frames (BTSFs). Several types of seismic fuse devices, including tension-only braces and slit steel plate shear walls (SWs) for energy dissipation, have been studied for their viability in adoption by SCMP. To further investigate the dynamic response and resilience behavior of this seismic-force-resisting system, shaking table tests have been conducted on a 2-story SCMP-BTSF building model with SWs as seismic fuse device. Two far-field ground motion records with various intensity levels were used in the shake table tests. The presented experimental testing study is the first shaking table test of SCMP-BTSF, which is a newly proposed pre-fabricated structure system with self-centering features. Nonlinear finite element (FE) model was also established to perform time history analysis of the test structure and assist with specimen design. The shake test results show that the structure response under frequent ground motions meets the inter-story drift limit given in Chinese code - GB 50011-2010 (Code for Seismic Design of Buildings, abbreviated as CSDB hereafter). When the hazard level was greater than that of frequent ground motions, the system exhibited flag-shaped hysteresis curves of the story shear as expected. It is observed that the SWs dissipated seismic energy through yielding and buckling of steel slats between slits, while other structural members and PTFs remained elastic. No cracks were seen in the concrete floor slabs after all shake table tests. After replacing SWs, the test structure showed nearly identical dynamic properties and seismic responses to the original test structure.

Automated summary

Recent studies have shown that SCMP-BTSF structures exhibit stability and recoverability under seismic loads, meeting the inter-story drift limit requirements set by Chinese code under frequent earthquake conditions. By replacing SWs, the test structure demonstrated nearly identical dynamic properties and seismic responses to the original test structure.