Seismic performance of wall plate supported semi-rigid steel frames with a novel type of wall-beam connector

This study focuses on investigating the seismic performance of semi-rigid steel frames (SSFs) reinforced with wall plates and a novel wall-beam connector (WBC). The aim is to address the inherent limitations of these frames regarding lateral resistance and susceptibility to local instability. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed reinforcement, three specimens were subjected to pseudo-static cyclic loading. One specimen represented a standard SSF without wall plates, while the other two specimens were supported by wall plates with WBCs of different thicknesses (3 mm and 5 mm). The comparative analysis of the three specimens revealed significant improvements in seismic performance and energy dissipation capacities resulting from the inclusion of the WBCs. The WBCs facilitated displacement deformation, effectively mitigating structural damage caused by seismic forces. Notably, the introduction of WBCs led to a substantial increase in initial stiffness (45.2 % for WBC1 and 111.3 % for WBC2) and a significant enhancement in ultimate bearing capacity (251.9 % increase for WBC2) compared to the standard SSF. The thickness of the WBCs emerged as a crucial factor in regulating the load-bearing capacity, stiffness, and energy dissipation of the structure. The integration of WBCs ensured stable load-bearing functionality for both the frame and wall plate, effectively utilizing the material properties of each component. This configuration enhanced the lateral stiffness and hysteretic behavior of the structure, facilitating staged and incremental yielding and plastic energy dissipation under varying inter-story drifts.