Parametric study of wood sheathed cold formed steel shear wall panels using OPENSEES

Abstract

CFS members are widely used in transmission towers, bridges, and building structures. They are lightweight, stiff, and robust materials suitable for low-rise constructions. However, their lateral load capacity is limited, and to overcome this challenge, SWPs are employed in CFS structures to resist lateral forces. SWPs consist of CFS studs and tracks attached to sheathings, which can be made of metal or wood. This study aims to evaluate the lateral strength of wood sheathed SWPs. These panels can effectively dissipate energy under lateral loading due to the combined inelastic behaviour of their components: Frames, Sheathing, and screw connections. A precise material model is required to simulate this inelastic behaviour accurately under quasi-static or dynamic loading. Therefore, this study develops an algorithm to accurately model the linear behaviour of wood-sheathed SWPs. OPENSEES software is used for nonlinear behaviour, employing zero-length elements, the pinching4 material model, and the EEEP rule. The proposed analytical method is applied to analyse the lateral strength of wood-sheathed SWPs. Nonlinear static analysis, including cyclic and monotonic push tests, is performed using the proposed method for OPENSEES. Moreover, the study investigates various physical parameters that affect the nonlinear behaviour of wood-sheathed SWPs, such as screw spacing, sheathing thickness, screw diameter, and aspect ratio. Finally, a sensitivity study is conducted to evaluate the cyclic response of wood-sheathed SWPs by analysing the key physical parameters.