An Experimental Study of Frame-Supported Multi-Ribbed Composite Walls

This paper references the structural design of the novel oblique frame-grid multi-ribbed composite (MRC) wall in studying the seismic performance of frame-supported MRC (FSMRC) walls. Two 1/2-scale FSMRC wall specimens with first floors composed of frame-shear walls and second floors composed of MRC walls were tested under cyclic loading. The failure processes and force-transfer mechanisms of both the orthogonal and the oblique frame-grid specimens were then investigated. Concurrently, the hysteresis of the vertex-horizontal displacement and inter-storey displacement, the skeleton curves, the loading-strain curves of the reinforcing bars of the members, and the residual deformation ratios of the specimens were analysed. The results indicate that the FSMRC wall exhibited good seismic performance and that the oblique frame-grid design was able to improve the overall ductility, deformation capacity, seismic resistance and repairability of the wall.