Abstract:This study investigated the influence of floor slab restraints on the mechanical performance of precast shear walls with vertically segmented dry energy-dissipating connections. Three finite element models were developed: one specimen without a floor slab (PC-0), and two specimens with different types of cast-in-place slabs (PC-1, PC-2). A simplified structural measure was implemented in PC-2 to reduce the influence of the slab restraint. Numerical simulations under low-cycle reversed loading were conducted to evaluate the mechanical performance of these specimens and to preliminarily assess the impact of slab restraints. Furthermore, the effectiveness of simplified structural measures in mitigating slab restraints and improving the energy-dissipating capacity of the shear walls was explored. The results showed that the inclusion of slab restraints slightly enhanced the stiffness and bearing capacity of the precast energy-dissipating shear walls. However, slab restraints limited the energy dissipation efficiency of the damper connectors, leading to insufficient energy dissipation in some connectors and thus reduced overall energy-dissipating capacity and ductility. When slab restraint was alleviated through structural measures, the energy dissipation efficiency of the damper connectors improved significantly, leading to a notable enhancement in both energy-dissipating capacity and ductility, albeit with a slight reduction in stiffness and load-bearing capacity. The effect of slab restraints on the mechanical performance of precast shear walls is non-negligible and should be considered in seismic design and analysis.
