Seismic Performance of RC Frames with Assembled Energy-Dissipating Infill Walls Using Hollow T-Shaped Metal Connectors

Abstract

In reinforced concrete (RC) frames, appropriate infill-wall connections can mitigate detrimental frame-wall interaction and improve seismic response. This study proposes an RC frame with an assembled energy-dissipating infill wall (RCF-AEIW) using hollow T-shaped metal connectors. The system largely retains the layout, assembly, and construction procedures of conventional autoclaved lightweight concrete infill walls while adding an energy-dissipation mechanism. A finite element model is validated against published experiments and used for parametric and comparative analyses under static cyclic and dynamic time-history loading. Under static cyclic loading, RCF-AEIW increases load-carrying capacity and total accumulated energy by 32.07% and 81.73%, respectively, relative to the bare RC frame. Under the selected ground motion at a peak ground acceleration of 0.4 g, it reduces maximum interstory displacement by 12.5% relative to the traditional masonry-infilled frame. These preliminary numerical results indicate potential improvements in energy dissipation and deformation control under the investigated conditions.