Seismic Performance Evaluation of Reinforced Concrete Frame–Shear Wall Structural Systems in Thermal Power Plants

The seismic performance of an electric power system is crucial for maintaining the functionality of urban communities following an earthquake. In thermal power plants, the RC frame–shear wall structure plays a key role in providing seismic resistance to the main building’s longitudinal structural system. This study presents the results of a series of pseudo-dynamic tests on a two-span, four-story frame–shear wall model with a scale of 1/8. The prototype structure was a seven-story, seven-bay longitudinal RC frame–shear wall from the main workshop of a large thermal power plant. The cracking process, yielding sequence, hysteresis curves, and skeleton curve were obtained. Based on the test results, the energy dissipation, equivalent viscous damping coefficient, ductility and deformation, stiffness degradation, dynamic response, and displacement response were analyzed. The results showed that the RC frame–shear wall structure exhibits a high energy dissipation capacity and excellent seismic performance, and the shear wall significantly influences the structural bearing capacity and deformation performance. These findings offer valuable guidance for the seismic design of RC frame–shear wall structures in high-rise and large factory buildings. As the shear wall absorbs the majority of seismic forces and minimizes the concentration of plastic deformation, strengthening critical weak areas—such as increasing the horizontal distribution of rebars or improving the concrete strength at the shear wall base—can enhance overall structural performance and seismic resilience in industrial buildings subject to seismic loading.

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