QUASI-STATIC TEST STUDY OF COUPLED SHEAR WALLS WITH A NEW TYPE OF COUPLING BEAMS

Two full-scale single-story coupled shear wall specimens were designed, one with traditional reinforced concrete coupling beams and the other with improved triangular steel plate dampers. The yield failure modes and seismic performance of the two specimens were studied by quasi-static tests. The results show that the energy dissipation and deformation capacity of the new type of coupling beams were obviously larger than those of the traditional coupling beams. The stiffness and strength degradations were less than those of the traditional coupling beams. The deformation and energy dissipation of the new type of coupling beams were concentrated in the dampers. The concrete coupling beams were generally in good condition. The dampers can control structural damage well, which is conducive to the replacement of the coupling beams after earthquakes.