Axial resistant testing and design of UHTCC-encased corrugated plate composite walls

Concrete-encased composite wall has been widely applied as an efficient structural component. However, the Tong poor crack resistance of normal concrete (NC) limits its further development. In this paper, the ultra-high toughness cementitious composite (UHTCC) was employed as a replacement for NC, and a novel UHTCC-encased corrugated steel plate composite wall (UCPCW) was proposed. Due to the excellent crack resistance and high ductility of UHTCC, both the load-carrying performance and ductility of UCPCW were enhanced. Six specimens were tested to investigate the behavior of the UCPCW subjected to axial compression. The specimens exhibited satisfactory mechanical behavior, with local buckling observed in the boundary columns and embedded steel plates, alongside crushing of the concrete near the perfobond leiste (PBL) ribs. Finite element (FE) models were developed to analyze the stress distribution and the load-displacement curves of various components. Increasing the concrete depth and reducing the spacing of steel rebars enhanced the confinement effect on embedded steel plates, thereby decreasing the load softening rate of the steel plate. Through a parametric analysis, effects of material strengths and geometric dimensions were studied. Design formulas from JGJ 138 were applied to predict the load-bearing capacity of UCPCWs, with an error of less than 5 %. • A novel CEST wall was proposed for higher load-resistant efficiency and ductility. • Axial compression tests were performed on six UCPCW specimens to explore their characteristics. • Load-displacement curves and vertical strain development were discussed in detail. • Axial load carried by different components in UCPCW were investigated to reveal its axial resistant behavior. • Design formula specified in JGJ 138 could predict ultimate axial resistance with good accuracy.