Three-Dimensional Response Evaluation of an Innovative Low-Damage Drywall Partition Wall System for Multistory Buildings

Drywall partition wall systems have become one of the most common forms of construction for partition walls in multistory buildings around the world. Drywall partitions are usually attached to the surrounding structural framing and consequently experience damage as the building moves due to wind and earthquake actions. The damage occurs at very low drift levels, sometimes lower than the design limits set by the current standards. This paper presents an innovative solution for constructing drywall partition walls, which allows the system to be uncoupled from interstory drift within the building. This allows the system to undergo large interstory drifts without sustaining damage. Further, it also allows the system to be 'quieter' under smaller serviceability drifts, thereby addressing the creaking problem of partition systems, which has become an issue in recent times in flexible high-rise buildings. The assessment of these systems needs to be performed using three-dimensional assessment methods, due to the interconnected nature of the walls. This has been performed using the Multi-Axis Substructure Testing System at Swinburne University of Technology, which allowed full-scale 3 m x 3 m square room test specimens to be assessed experimentally. The results show superior seismic performance and improved acoustic performance of the newly developed system when compared to traditional partition wall systems.