Finite Element Analysis of T-Shaped C-PSW/CFs Having Bolted Splices

Composite plate shear walls–concrete filled (C-PSW/CFs) consist of two steel faceplates with concrete infill between them. They are also known as SpeedCore due to their capacity to significantly accelerate construction time. Previous tests of C-PSW/CF components having bolted splices have validated their structural performance in comparison to existing AISC design equations. A large-scale T-shaped C-PSW/CF was also tested, demonstrating ductile flexural behavior throughout the experiment. This paper presents results from several finite element analyses conducted to investigate aspects of the inelastic behavior of a T-shaped C-PSW/CF that could not be observed experimentally, including individual bolt forces, friction and bearing mechanisms, and concrete contribution degradation at the splice level. Monotonic pushover analyses assessed the ultimate behavior, while cyclic loading analyses compared inelastic behavior with previous test results. After successfully replicating the structural behavior observed during testing, finite element analysis models were used to investigate the bearing behavior of the bolted connection, accounting for the contribution of friction. Analysis of the cyclic response revealed that concrete contribution to shear strength at the splice level degraded from 58% at 0.57% drift to 8% at 2.1% drift due to progressive cracking. A simplified method for evaluating the flexural strength of bolted splices achieved 78%–92% accuracy when validated against finite element results. These studies provide better insights into the load transfer mechanism of bolted C-PSW/CFs.