Summary
Two types of prefabricated composite shear wall systems were proposed using modular and separated dry‐assembled ways, respectively. The seismic performance of four composite shear wall systems, two for the modular assembly way and two for the separated assembly way, was numerically evaluated including failure mode, loading and deformation capacities, hysteresis behavior, ductility, stiffness degradation, and energy dissipation. The nonlinear numerical simulations were conducted based on plastic‐damage constitutive laws for both concrete and steel materials using ABAQUS platform, which were further verified by the experimental investigations. The results showed that the mechanical performance of the modular assembly system is superior than that of the separated assembly system. The former exhibited good bearing and deformation capacities: The peak force is enhanced by 50% on average, the ultimate drift ratio reaches an average value of 3.7%, and the ductility coefficient has an average value of 10.5. As for the same assembly way, the prefabricated system with inner steel plate appeared better seismic properties compared to that with outer steel plate. Furthermore, the modular assembly system behaved prominent energy dissipation capacity with plentiful hysteresis loops. The equivalent damping ratio of this system reaches 15.93% at the drift ratio of 2%, which is the limit drift ratio for normal buildings in rare earthquakes.