Seismic Behavior and Practical Local Buckling Assessment of Composite Steel Plate Shear Walls

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran

Abstract

This study investigates the seismic performance of 4- and 6-story composite steel plate shear walls (CSPSWs) using advanced finite element models developed in ABAQUS. The numerical model, rigorously validated against experimental data, was subjected to nonlinear time history analysis under a suite of seven scaled ground motions. The results demonstrate that the design shear strength prescribed by AISC 341-10 is conservative, underestimating the peak dynamic base shear by 28% to 37% for the studied frames. This significant discrepancy is primarily attributed to the substantial shear force resisted by the boundary frame elements and the reinforced concrete panel, contributions not accounted for in the code's simplified methodology. Boundary columns were found to carry up to 26% of the total base shear. Furthermore, the study presents a practical assessment of local buckling in the steel web, proposing a methodological approach for determining shear stud spacing. The analysis confirms that a stud spacing of 300 mm provides a safety margin of 1.7 against buckling before yielding, ensuring the desired energy dissipation mechanism. The research underscores the enhanced seismic resilience of CSPSWs and provides quantitative insights to inform more efficient design practices.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Civil Engineering and Applied Solutions
Volume 2, Issue 3
July 2026
Pages 85-95

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History

  • Receive Date: 29 November 2025
  • Revise Date: 26 December 2025
  • Accept Date: 26 December 2025
  • First Publish Date: 27 December 2025

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