Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering

Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering

The Effect of Changes in Material Strength and Geometric Properties on the Behavior of Composite Shear Walls

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Amirhossein Bazrafshan 1
Moein Jalilian 1
Mansour Ghalehnovi 2
1 M.Sc. of Structural Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, School of Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
2 Professor, of Structural Engineering, School of Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
10.22065/jsce.2025.472964.3492
Abstract
The widespread application of modern lateral load-resisting systems, such as composite shear walls, necessitates a thorough investigation and optimization of their performance. The composite shear wall studied in this research comprises a steel plate and a concrete panel interconnected by shear connectors. This study focuses on modeling the independent behavior of steel and concrete and analyzing their interaction while investigating the sensitivity of system performance to changes in material strength and geometric parameters. Four key variables, including steel plate thickness, concrete panel thickness, concrete compressive strength, and steel yield strength, were selected with varying values assigned to each. The influence of these variables on the shear strength of the system was evaluated after validating the numerical model against experimental data and simulating 60 different combinations using the Abaqus software. The results revealed that geometric and dimensional parameters have a significantly greater impact on shear strength compared to material strength. For instance, increasing the steel plate thickness from 5 mm to 10 mm resulted in a 20–25% increase in shear strength, whereas an increase in steel yield strength only contributed a 3–5% improvement. Moreover, the system’s response was highly sensitive to changes in concrete panel thickness; increasing the thickness to 70–80 mm enhanced shear strength by approximately 20%. Additionally, maintaining proportionality between the thicknesses of the steel plate and concrete panel is critical for buckling control. The study highlighted the existence of optimal values for each parameter, where variations in other factors become more pronounced. These findings provide valuable insights into the design and optimization of composite shear wall systems.
Keywords
Lateral Load-Resisting System
Composite Shear Wall
Shear Strength
Steel Plate Buckling
Reinforced Concrete Panel
Material and Geometric Properties
ABAQUS Software

Subjects

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Journal of Structural and Construction Engineering
Volume 12, Issue 10 - Serial Number 99
January 2026
Pages 235-258

  • Receive Date 18 September 2024
  • Revise Date 04 February 2025
  • Accept Date 11 March 2025