Seismic experiments and shear resistance prediction of multi-celled corrugated-plate CFST walls

Multi-celled corrugated-plate CFST walls (MC-CFST walls) are innovative composite members for load bearing and energy dissipation. The corrugated steel plates effectively enhance the confinement capacity of the infilled concrete and reduce steel consumption. In this study, the seismic behavior of MC-CFST walls was investigated through experimental, numerical, and theoretical analyses. Eight specimens were designed considering different key parameters, including the width and depth of the corrugated cell, the amplitude of the corrugated steel plate, and the type of boundary columns. These specimens were tested under axial compression and horizontal cyclic loading. The test results indicated that MC-CFST walls exhibited excellent energy dissipation capacity and ductility. Specimens with boundary columns exhibited shear failure modes, while those without boundary columns exhibited flexural failure modes. Increasing the width of the corrugated cell or reducing the effective depth of the composite wall had a significant negative impact on its seismic performance. Subsequently, the finite element (FE) model was established and verified against experimental results. Finally, based on the full-sectional plasticity assumption and the superposition principle, theoretical formulas for predicting the compression-bending and shear capacities of MC-CFST walls were proposed and validated against experimental data. The results showed that both theoretical formulas could effectively and accurately predict the shear resistance of MC-CFST walls, providing valuable references for practical designs.