A Closer Look at Steel Plate Shear Walls

A shear wall made from steel plate may seem like a new idea. However, the concept of the steel plate shear wall had been around for decades, and was used in a significant number of buildings, even before the existence of design provisions specifically addressing this structural system. It has been recognized by the National Building Code of Canada and Canadian Steel Design Standard since 1994. Similar provisions were included in FEMA 450 (NEHRP Recommended Provisions for Seismic Regulations for New Buildings and Other Structures) in 2004. In 2005, the special plate shear wall was added to the AISC Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings, ANSI/AISC 341-05.