Experimental investigation of lateral resistance of CFS walls with rigid diagonal bracings

Abstract

In this study, monotonic and reversed-cyclic loading tests were conducted on six diagonally reinforced cold-formed steel (CFS) shear walls sheathed with a gypsum board (GYP) and a magnesium crystal board (MCB), respectively, to evaluate the effects of sheathing panels and different types of diagonal bracings on the shear capacity, lateral stiffness, ductility, and energy dissipation capacity of CFS shear walls. The results revealed that the stiffness of the skeleton, the sheathing material, the performance of the screw connections, and the construction of the splice of the wall panels have a distinct effect on the shear performance of the wall. The cooperative work effect of the rigid and strap bracings was excellent, and the ultimate strength and lateral stiffness of the wall were effectively improved by using an extra steel strap bracing. The shear performance of the wall sheathed with the MCB was higher than that of the wall sheathed with the GYP. When a flat steel strap was used to connect the panel splices, the torsion of the flat steel strap reduced the overall performance of the wall panels. This should be considered in practical engineering applications.