Seismic Performance of Novel Bolt-Connected Prefabricated Ceramic Concrete Wall Panel Structural System with Replaceable Energy-Dissipation Device

Abstract

Current research on prefabricated wall panel structures primarily focuses on seismic performance, paying limited attention to postearthquake reparability. This study proposed a novel bolt-connected prefabricated panel system with replaceable energy-dissipation devices (REDD-BPPS). This system had advantages of rapid construction, easy repair, and low postearthquake repair cost. A comprehensive design methodology was developed. A half-scale 2-story structure was fabricated for pseudostatic testing to study the seismic performance, postrepair resilience, and replaceability of the REDD-BPPS system. Additionally, the digital image correlation (DIC) technology quantified the evolution of damage in the energy-dissipation devices, revealing their failure progression mechanisms. The results indicated that the structural failure mode was dominated by the concrete shear failure at the horizontal joint in the first-story panel and the fracture of the energy-dissipation device. The system exhibited a ductile bending-shear failure pattern, showing excellent seismic performance and structural integrity. Before the structure entered the plastic stage, the energy-dissipation devices had already yielded and dissipated a large amount of the energy. The energy-dissipation device achieved concentrated and controllable structural damage, and the main structure remained basically intact. This demonstrates a multidefense system of seismic resistance. The replacement of the energy-dissipation device was accomplished in a time period of less than 20 min, demonstrating rapid reparability. After the replacement, the original small cracks only affected the initial stiffness of the structural system, with negligible effect on the seismic performance. The structure system demonstrated good seismic performance and postrepair resilient performance.