Lateral resistance of wood frame shear walls integrated with wood-plastic composites

ObjectiveUsing wood-plastic composites (WPC) as the main material to combine WPC with wood structure, exploring a WPC building based on wood structure is an important way to overcome the shortcomings of existing WPC building based on light steel structure. The lateral resistance of the wall is an important factor determining the safety of WPC building under the earthquake disaster. Studying the lateral resistance of wood frame-shear wall integrated with WPC provides a basis for maintaining the safety of WPC building.

MethodFive ordinary frame-shear walls integrated with WPC and three frame-shear walls with diagonal brace were designed. Through the low-cycle loading test method, the lateral stiffness, shear strength, uplift of the column, stiffness degradation and unit energy consumption of the walls were studied.

ResultThe lateral resistance of the WPC integrated wood walls mainly depended on the structural support of the WPC and the connection of the wall panels. The failure characteristics of the walls were the failure of scew connection and the fracture of WPC joints. For ordinary wall, the shear strength, lateral stiffness and unit energy consumption of the wall with 75 mm in slab screw spacing were 35.40%, 16.88% and 76.22% higher than those of the conventional wall, respectively. The lateral performance of the walls with diagonal brace was obviously superior to the ordinary conventional wall. The lateral resistance of the Λ-type bracing wall and the K-type bracing wall was similar to the X-type bracing wall. The lateral stiffness and unit energy consumption of the K-type bracing wall were 14.76% and 16.44% higher than the X-type bracing wall, respectively. And its shear strength was 11.34% lower than the latter. The restraint effect of the thickness of wall panel, diagonal bracing and slab screw connection on the wall could significantly reduce the uplift of the wall frame columns.

ConclusionThe WPC integration method is an important factor affecting the wall’s lateral performance. Adopting frame-shear structure, setting up diagonal bracing and improving the reliability of slab srew connection can full exert the excellent performance of WPC and make the WPC integrated wall meet the seismic requirements of WPC buildings.