Design of cold-formed steel wall studs subject to non-uniform elevated temperature distributions

Abstract

The current design rules for cold-formed steel studs used in wall systems subject to non-uniform elevated temperature distributions are complicated with iterations and different elevated temperature section properties. This paper first investigates the accuracy of the current effective width method (EWM) and direct strength method (DSM) based design equations, and then simplifies the calculation process without compromising the accuracy in calculating the load ratios (elevated to ambient temperature capacity ratio). It also improves the accuracy of the current DSM based design equations. It then investigates the possibilities of using uniform temperature based DSM design equations for non-uniform temperature distributions and identifies the possibilities of using hot flange mechanical properties and uniform temperature based DSM design equations. Hence, it proposes a simplified uniform temperature based DSM design method with hot flange mechanical properties and a correction factor based on hot and cold flange temperatures, yield strength, length and depth of studs.