Seismic Performance of an Innovative Light-Frame Cold-Formed Steel Frame for Midrise Construction
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 5
Abstract
This paper presents the method and results of a study whose objective was to investigate the seismic performance of a new light-frame cold-formed steel-frame system. The system includes floor trusses, open panels, V-braced panels, columns, and connections. To do this, a series of reversed-cyclic tests were conducted on subassemblies. The results of this experimental program provided insight into the behavior of the subassemblies under cyclic loading, which in turn provided key information for numerical modeling of the subassemblies and the whole system as well as failure mechanisms of the frame. Nonlinear time history analyses were performed using a new formulation for a 4-story frame using a suite of earthquake ground motions to demonstrate the behavior of a typical V-braced system in a moderate earthquake. Both test results and numerical analysis indicate that the system has good ductility as a result of the screwed plate connections between the light-gauge members and between the light-gauge members and square columns. The frame system performed very well at four stories making it a viable midrise construction option in seismic regions of the United States and around the world.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The UTCS is a product of The Prescient Companies, LLC, and patents are pending on the system. The information, specimens, and funding for this study were provided by The Prescient Companies, LLC, and that support is gratefully acknowledged. Detailed assistance was provided by Michael Lastowski and John Vanker of The Prescient Companies.
References
ASCE. (2010). ASCE 7-10: Minimum design loads for buildings and other structures, ASCE, Reston, VA.
Casafont, M., Arnedo, A., Roure, F., and Rodríguez-Ferran, A. (2006). “Experimental testing of joints for seismic design of lightweight structrures. 1. Screwed joints in straps.” Thin-Walled Struct., 44(2), 197–210.
FEMA. (2009). Quantification of building seismic performance factors.
Folz, B., and Filiatrault, A. (2001). “Cyclic analysis of wood shear walls.” J. Struct. Eng., 127(4), 433–441.
International Code Council (ICC). (2006).International building code. International Code Council,Country Club Hills, IL.
Kim, H.-S., and Lee, D.-G. (2003). “Analysis of shear wall with openings using super elements.” Eng. Struct., 25(8), 981–991.
Kim, T. W., Wilcoski, J., Foutch, D. A., and Lee, M. S. (2006). “Shaketable tests of a cold-formed steel shear panel.” Eng. Struct., 28(10), 1462–1470.
Pang, W., Rosowsky, D. V., Pei, S., and van de Lindt, J. W. (2010). “Simplified direct displacement design of a six-story woodframe building and pre-test performance assessment.” J. Struct. Eng., 136(7), 813–825.
Pastor, N., and Rodríguez-Ferran, A. (2005). “Hysteretic modeling of x-braced shear walls.” Thin-Walled Struct., 43(10), 1567–1588.
Priestley, M. J. N. (1998). “Displacement-based approaches to rational limit states design of new structures.” Proc., 11th European Conf. on Earthquake Engineering, A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 317–333.
Schafer, B. W., Nakata, N., Buonopane, S. G., and Madsen, R. L. (2011). “CFS-NEES: Advancing cold-formed steel earthquake engineering.” Proc., 2011 NSF Engineering Research and Innovation Conf., National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA.
Tian, Y. S., Wang, T., and Lu, T. J. (2004). “Racking strength and stiffness of cold-formed steel wall frames.” J. Constr. Steel Res., 60(7), 1069–1093.
Velchev, K., Comeau, G., Balh, N., and Rogers, C. A. (2010). “Evaluation of the AISI S213 seismic design procedures through testing of strap braced cold-formed steel walls.” Thin-Walled Struct., 48(10–11), 846–856.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 5 • May 2013
Pages: 837 - 848
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 31, 2011
Accepted: Jul 24, 2012
Published online: Aug 10, 2012
Published in print: May 1, 2013
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.