SEISMIC DESIGN OF HYBRID COUPLED WALL SYSTEMS 51

1000

750

500

250
Force (kN)

-250

-500

-750

-1000
-12 -9 -6 -3 0 3 6 9 12
Beam Chord Rotation (%)
Figure 20: Shear force versus beam chord rotation for fuse steel coupling beam

6.3 Composite Shear Plate Coupling Beam

This alternative consists of a vertically-oriented steel plate encased in a
conventionally confined concrete beam that relies on composite behavior to transfer
coupling beam shear forces. Longitudinal reinforcement is provided to ensure
flexural strength. The design methodology proposed by Fortney (2005) extended a
model developed by Subedi (1989) by providing transverse reinforcement intended to
contribute to the shear strength of the beam, as well as provide sufficient confinement
of the concrete encasing the steel plate. Additionally, a variable is incorporated which
gives the designer the ability to control the desired level of flexural strength versus
shear strength to ensure shear dominant behavior of the section.
Shear plate coupling beam may be modeled as a deep composite girder with
longitudinal reinforcement and vertical web plate. The recommended design
methodology incorporates Tresca’s maximum shearing stress theory to account for
the shear/flexure interaction, and combines the shear resistance of the plate and
transverse reinforcement. In practical design, the steel plate would be designed to
resist the design shear forces. A detailed derivation of the recommended design
equation is provided in Fortney 2005.
Plate stability is assumed to be provided by the surrounding confined concrete. Shear
transfer between concrete and web plate is accomplished through the use of headed
studs welded on both faces of the web plate. The size and spacing of the studs are
computed based on standard procedures (AISC 2006; PCI Design Handbook, Edition
6), and are used in the clear span of the beam and connection regions. Considering the
expected moment and shear diagrams for coupling beams, the minimum embedment
52 SEISMIC DESIGN OF HYBRID COUPLED WALL SYSTEMS

length of the web plate will be one half of the clear span. To ensure shear dominant
behavior, and to minimize the required cross-sectional area of longitudinal steel, high
strength longitudinal reinforcing bars will most likely have to be provided to resist the
coupling beam design moment. A typical cross section is shown in Figure 21.

Limited tests (Fortney et al. 2006a and 2006b, Fortney 2005) indicate satisfactory
performance so long as special care is made to ensure the quality of stud welds
connecting the studs to the plate. Figure 21 shows the measured performance of the
shear plate coupling beam.
 SEISMIC DESIGN OF HYBRID COUPLED WALL SYSTEMS 53

ANCHORS; IF
REQUUIRED

VERTICAL
STEEL PLATE
HEADED
STUDS

COUPLING
BEAM

Lb
2 Lb
(min)
SUBASSEMBLY ELEVATION

LONG. BARS

HEADED SHEAR
STUDS; BOTH
SIDES OF PLATE

ENCLOSED
STIRRUPS

STEEL PLATE

BEAM CROSS-SECTION

800

600

400

200
Force (kN)

-200

-400

-600

-800
-10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6 8 10
Beam Chord Rotation (%)

Figure 21: Schematic and measured performance of shear plate coupling beam