Seismic Performance of Cold-Formed Steel Wall Systems in a Full-Scale Building

Abstract

This paper presents the seismic performance of two types of cold-formed steel wall systems as characterized during a full-scale five-story building shake table test program: (1) an exterior architectural façade, which spanned the lower three levels of the building, and (2) interior partition wall systems distributed at all levels of the building. The test building was subjected to a suite of earthquake input motions of increasing intensity, first while the building was isolated at its base, and subsequently while it was fixed to the shake table platen. This paper presents the observed physical and measured responses for the two cold-formed steel wall systems and in particular associates physical damage states with measured drift demands in the building. The tests illustrate damage mechanisms for cold-formed steel wall systems when used in architectural façades and highlights areas that should be given particular consideration during seismic design.