Analytical study of Embedded Steel Plate-Concrete (ESPC) shear wall system

This study proposes a novel Embedded Steel Plate-Concrete (ESPC) shear wall system aimed at improving constructability and reducing costs. The system embeds steel plates within concrete and eliminates the need for boundary elements. Using experimental data, a finite element model was developed to analyze variables such as steel plate thickness, concrete thickness, studs spacing, and aspect ratio. The results indicate that increasing steel plate thickness improves stiffness and strength; however, this effect diminishes beyond 12 mm due to the shear capacity limitation of the studs. Concrete thickness had a minimal impact on shear strength, contributing only about 2%. Stud spacing proved critical, as narrow or wide spacing resulted in reduced strength due to interference or weakened composite action. When the aspect ratio reached 1.0, combined shear and flexural failure began to appear. Beyond this point, flexural failure became dominant, limiting the full development of shear resistance. Comparison with four nominal shear strength Eqs. revealed that the combined strength of concrete and steel (Vn1) and steel-only strength (Vn2) were accurate depending on the steel ratio, while the other two Eqs. (Vn3, Vn4) exhibited significant discrepancies. This study emphasizes the need for new shear strength formulation tailored to ESPC shear wall systems and provides data for future research and design applications.