Behavior of Prefabricated Composite Arch Coupling Beam for Shear Walls Subjected to Cyclic Loading

Abstract

Under seismic loading, the coupling beam not only connects the wall stems together, but also plays a role in energy dissipation and shock absorption. On the basis of a literature review, this paper presents a new type of prefabricated concrete arch coupling beam with steel connectors. The structure of the prefabricated beam and its connection with the wall stems are introduced. The seismic performance of the beam-wall joint is analyzed through experimental research and finite element analysis. The results show that the arch beam effectively improves the shear bearing capacity of the beam-wall connection, thus improves the overall seismic performance of the coupled wall structures. This research provides a useful reference for developing design codes for prefabricated coupling beams.