Experiments and Simulations of Cold-Formed Steel Wall Assemblies Using Corrugated Steel Sheathing Subjected to Shear and Gravity Loads

Abstract

The paper presents experimental and numerical investigation of cold-formed steel (CFS)–framed walls sheathed with corrugated steel sheets. The new wall technology is considered as an alternative shear wall configuration for midrise buildings at strong earthquake and high-wind regions because of its attributes of noncombustibility and higher structural performance than the conventional shear wall types. However, design provisions of such corrugated sheathed CFS-framed shear walls have not been included in the current design standards. To establish comprehensive database information and to observe the performance of the bearing wall for the first time, a test program of full-scale wall assemblies using corrugated steel sheathing was conducted. The test specimens included both shear wall specimens and bearing wall specimens under lateral and vertical/gravity loading. In accordance with the full-scale tests, a numerical model was developed in a computer program, and seismic performance assessment was evaluated through nonlinear time history analysis, i.e., incremental dynamic analysis using a methodology proposed by FEMA. The paper presents the results of the experiments and numerical simulations and produces appropriate seismic performance factors for this new lateral-resisting system.