Experimental investigation of hysteretic behaviour of non-structural dry gypsum infill walls

Studies carried out concerning the non-bearing partition wall systems used in buildings have increased in recent years. A very limited number of studies about the behaviour of gypsum wallboard systems under cyclic repeated loads have been found in the literature. An experimental study was carried out under earthquake loads to investigate the properties of gypsum wallboard systems, such as general load–displacement behaviour, stiffness, displacement ductility ratios and energy dissipation capacities. Ten different non-bearing wall specimens were produced. Four of these wall specimens consisted of different gypsum wallboard infill walls and the remaining six consisted of plastered and non-plastered infill wall specimens built with clay bricks, light concrete briquettes and aerated concrete blocks. As a result of this study, the performance levels and general behaviours of dry gypsum infill wall systems under the effect of horizontal cyclic reversible loading were determined by comparing with other infill wall systems. Although the initial stiffness and ultimate load capacity values of the dry gypsum infill wall systems were lower compared to a masonry infill wall and lightweight concrete brick walls, it was determined that they performed very successfully in terms of displacement ductility ratio and energy dissipation capacity.