Seismic design and assessment of coupled concrete-filled composite plate walls in Canada

Concrete-filled composite plate walls (CF-CPW), also known as SpeedCore systems, have recently emerged as new seismic force-resisting systems for mid- and high-rise buildings. These wall systems accelerate construction schedules, enhancing the economic viability of projects. To facilitate the adoption of CF-CPW systems in Canada, this paper presents the design and analysis methodology for their implementation. A design example is provided to illustrate the details. The methodology is also applied to forty coupled CF-CPW archetypes with varying configurations and details to assess their lateral response. Modal, pushover, and nonlinear response-history analyses are performed. The assessment results demonstrate that coupled CF-CPW systems exhibit excellent seismic performance and are suitable for use as shear walls in mid- and high-rise buildings. Subduction interface earthquakes, however, are more critical, and in some cases, the performance objectives may not be met.