Tension Field Performance of GFRP Plate Shear Walls

Abstract

Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites are alternative to the conventional materials for many civil applications because of their prominent properties. The advanced production technology allows standardized quality structural FRP sections, which plays an important role in progress of structural engineering. Different fiber types can be rowed in these sections to improve the structural performance of these members. One of the most widely used FRP type is Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymers (GFRP) in the market for structural applications. The plate performance of GFRP plates as a lateral load resisting member within the moment frames was investigated in this study similar to the steel plate shear walls or timber shear walls. The post buckling performance of the GFRP plates including the experimental fracture values and different fiber orientations are studied. The tension field action is considered for the GFRP plates after the post buckling, and it was found that the gain for initial stiffness and story drifts is gradually reduces from flexible to rigid moment frames. The least lateral load capacity gain was about 16% when the fiber main direction is oriented 0o angle within the most rigid moment frame. As the fiber orientation aligned with the tension field angle, the load capacity and the initial stiffness increases. Finally, an analytical load capacity calculations are carried to verify the numerical results for the FRP plate shear walls employing the equivalent truss member approach, then plate thickness and panel aspect ratio effects are studied.