Nonlinear Seismic Performance of Self-centering Steel Plate Shear Walls with Openings

Self-Centering Steel Plate Shear Wall (SC-SPSW) is an innovative seismic load-resisting system that combines the strength of steel plate shear walls with the re-centering capabilities of self-centering beam-to-column connections. The seismic energy is dissipated through steel panel buckling while post-tensioned (PT) strands re-center the building, preventing costly damage to the boundary frame. Although SC-SPSWs without openings are well understood in terms of their characterization and design, behavior of SC-SPSWs with openings is yet to be studied. This research aims to evaluate the cyclic and seismic behavior of stiffened SC-SPSW systems with rectangular openings. The study develops models to estimate strength and stiffness degradation in SC-SPSWs with openings. Finite element models of SC-SPSW systems with and without openings are developed in Abaqus, and cyclic and seismic responses in terms of total dissipated energy and peak interstory drift are compared under different loading scenarios. The findings reveal that the size of the openings affects the performance of SC-SPSW systems. Proper design considerations are proposed, and critical parameters such as reduced shear strength and initial stiffness, as well as an optimal aspect ratio for openings, are developed and proposed.