Behavior and Design of Power-Actuated Fastener Connections in Cold-Formed Steels Subjected to Shear

Abstract

This study proposes an innovative type of simple connection utilizing power-actuated fasteners to join a cold-formed steel channel to a rectangular hollow section column via a web-side plate or a T-section. An experimental program composed of 26 specimens was carried out to investigate the behavior of the connections under the combination of shear and rotation. The experimental results are discussed in two limit states including bearing and pull-out by shear. An analytical model is proposed to predict the shear strength of the connections based on the provided information of vectorial force at a fastener, displacement, and rotation at the connections. The proposed model yields a conservative prediction for the tested connections with a mean test-to-prediction ratio of 1.05 and the coefficient of variation of 6% or 9%, depending on the limit state. A design example is provided to illustrate the implementation of the proposed model in practice.