Experimental Study on the Shear Properties of Metal Plate Shear Walls Considering the Effects of Rigid Polyurethane Foam and Plate Thickness

Abstract

To promote the advancement of steel plate shear walls and tackle the challenge of inadequate shear resistance in traditional shear walls, a double-sided metal plate shear wall, filled with rigid polyurethane foam and equipped with replaceable wall panels, was proposed. Three distinct types of metal plates, namely 0.5 mm Q355 steel plates, 1 mm Q355 steel plates, and 0.5 mm 6063 aluminum plates, were utilized for pseudo-static monotonic loading tests and pseudo-static cyclic loading tests. The study delved into the impact of varying metal plate thicknesses and materials on the shear failure mechanism of the wall. The findings revealed that the horizontal bearing capacity of the double-sided metal plate shear wall hinges on the torsional deformation of the steel plate, frame deformation, and polyurethane deformation. Under cyclic loading, the steel plate undergoes deformation, recovery, and reverse deformation. Through analysis of hysteresis curves and skeleton curves, it was evident that augmenting the thickness of the steel plate enhances its shear resistance, whereas the shear resistance of aluminum plates remains relatively unchanged. Monotonic load–displacement curve analysis indicated that the initial shear stiffness increases with the increase in steel plate thickness but decreases with the increase in aluminum plate thickness. Furthermore, an examination of energy consumption curves indicated that thickening steel plates and aluminum plates enhances their energy consumption capacity.