Testing of a transfer plate by pseudo-dynamic test method with substructure technique

A pseudo-dynamic testing system is developed with the incorporation of the substructure technique. Newmark-alpha method is used to perform the numerical integration. The pseudo-dynamic system has been implemented to study the seismic response of a transfer plate in a 18-story high-rise building. Structural system comprises a transfer plate at the first floor with evenly spaced columns below, and shear walls above the transfer. A test specimen in 1/4-scale was used to model the ground floor, transfer plate and the second floor. All the upper stories were simulated numerically. Pseudo-dynamic tests were conducted using three types of time-history records. When subject to an El-Centro earthquake record with maximum acceleration at 32%g, the shear wall remained undamaged whereas the transfer plate was severely damaged. The experimental study has indicated that the transfer plate system has insufficient strength to resist possible strong earthquake action.