In order to present a restoring force model and a determination method of the parameters for steel reinforced concrete self-centering coupled wall panels

the study investigated the failure modes and working mechanism of the coupled wall panels under lateral loads utilizing cyclic loading tests. The failure process of the wall panels included the rocking of wall panels and the shear yielding of the dampers. The failure of wall panels was localized in the dampers

which demonstrated excellent resiliency. On basis of hysteretic characteristics of the wall panels

the restoring force models were proposed

which consisted of skeleton rules

unloading rules and reloading rules. Ten parameters affecting restoring force model were then proposed. The skeleton rules were defined by three stiffness parameters and three strength parameters. The unloading rules and reloading rules were defined by four displacement parameters. Methods for the determination of stiffness parameters

strength parameters and displacement parameters affecting the restoring force model were proposed in light of the cooperative working mechanism among coupled wall panels

dampers

prestressed tendons and framed beams. The comparison between test results and simulation results shows that the test hysteresis curves are in good agreement with those of the numerical simulation

and the test energy dissipation is basically the same as that of the simulation. It is then concluded that the proposed restoring force models do well in describing the hysteretic features of the steel reinforced concrete coupled wall panels and that the methods for determining the parameters have satisfactory analytical accuracy.