Experimental and numerical study on the cyclic behavior of link-beam shear-panel connected to frame beams

Abstract This paper presents experimental and numerical studies on the use of shear panel, used as a lateral load resisting system in multi-story steel frames and is designed based on the link beam approach. The purpose of this study was to achieve a reliable lateral load-resisting system that eliminates the problem of using large columns in the steel shear wall systems and changed the shape of hysteresis loops from an S-shape to a Spindle-shape. To examine the purposed device, four ½-scale one-story specimens (three with the shear panel and one bare frame) with frame-beam-only-connected shear panels were tested under cyclic lateral load. Two boxes were used to attach the shear panel to the frame beams in two specimens to shorten the length of the shear panel and approximate its behavior to that of shear-link-beam and to make the system repairable. Based on the experimental and numerical results, the shape of the hysteresis loops of the proposed system are spindle-shape, and pinching did not occur in this system. In Specimens S1, S2 and S3 frame members (beams and columns) remain elastic during cyclic loading and the primary energy- dissipation element is yielding of link-beam shear-panel. All the specimens exhibited satisfactory energy dissipation. The observed predominant failure modes include i: yielding of the shear panel at mid span, ii: cracks occur in welded connection, and iii: tearing in plates connecting frame beams to columns. The results of the finite element analysis were in good agreement with the experimental results. Analytical results showed that maximum strength and the energy dissipation capacity is much better for shear panels with lower height-to-thickness ratio and large span-to-height ratio.