Experimental testing of prefabricated wall panels with simplified bolt connection in the vertical joints under cyclic loading

Abstract Different from traditional reinforced concrete structures, prefabricated structures inherently have horizontal and vertical joints, which critically affect their seismic performance. To verify the feasibility of applying the proposed bolt connection to the joints, especially vertical joints, a quasi‐static test was carried out on multi‐panel specimens with vertical bolted joints, and the test results were compared with those of wall panels with horizontal joints only. The differences in the structural performances including failure modes, bearing capacity, stiffness, and energy dissipation were primarily investigated. The test results demonstrated that the segmentation of the wall panel caused by vertical joints reduced structural stiffness and ultimate load capacity by 34% and 16%, respectively. Conversely, it significantly improved deformability, and the final displacement was 2.13 times greater than that of the wall panel without vertical joint. Moreover, the load transfer paths and deformation mechanisms of the wall panels with vertical joints were discussed. These findings provide a reference for the further application and promotion of prefabricated wall panel structures with bolt connections.