Numerical simulation of mechanical properties of a new type of assembly shear wall horizontal connection device

To enhance the seismic performance of prefabricated shear wall structures, a novel horizontal connection device for such walls was designed and subjected to sinusoidal displacement loading tests. The feasibility of the proposed device for both laboratory testing and engineering applications was verified using the ABAQUS finite element software for modeling and simulation. The numerical results confirmed the validity of the experimental and engineering test outcomes and further allowed analysis of the influence of larger preload levels on the mechanical behavior of the device. The results indicate that the energy dissipation capacity and secant stiffness of both new horizontal connection devices increase with higher bolt preload. Additionally, increasing the number of bolts significantly improves the energy dissipation performance. Numerical simulations produced stress nephograms and hysteresis curves that align well with experimental data, while the maximum horizontal force, representative energy dissipation capacity, and secant stiffness all exhibit an approximately linear relationship with the preload value.