Numerical Investigation of Seismic Response of Steel Structures Including Shear Panel

Shear Panel system is one of the most useful passive control methods, in which shear panel devices are installed between node of chevron braces and flange of the floor beam. In this paper, the effect of using shear panels or vertical link beams on seismic energy dissipation is numerically investigated. Using shear panel system, the seismic behavior of 2D, 5 and 8-story frames was improved. Analyses were conducted by Seismo-Struct software. In this way, base shear, top story displacement and maximum acceleration of the floors in 5-story frames were reduced respectively 29, 70 and 62%, while in 8-story frames these parameters were reduced respectively 43, 27 and 40%. Story drifts were mostly reduced and became uniform. In all parameters, effectiveness of using SPS, Shear Panel System, in 5-story frame was more than that in 8-story frame. In fact by using SPS, in addition to increasing the ductility of the structures with decreasing seismic demand, seismic behavior of structures was improved. Finally, using shear panel is highly recommended as an easy to use and efficient way consistent with construction condition in the country for seismic design of new steel building structures and also for seismic retrofit of existing steel buildings.