Structural Performance of Disaster Relief Housing Units Subjected to Cyclic Loading
In this paper, a new disaster relief housing unit is proposed, and its structural performance under cyclic loading conditions is investigated. This housing unit is composed of a series of identical unit wall panels, which are made up of steel angle frames, steel rods for diagonal bracing and sheeting elements. The lateral load resisting capacity of only a single wall panel is examined by performing a test on three specimens. The theoretical lateral strength of the wall panel is estimated and compared with the test results. The contribution of sheeting elements, generally treated as nonstructural components, is considered, and the energy dissipation capacity of the proposed unit is also evaluated. The results of the test show that the addition of sheeting elements is helpful to enhance the peak lateral strength of the panel frame and the steel diagonal bracing is very effective in enhancing the peak strength of the unit wall panel at initial stages, but not the overall ductility of the structure.