Performance of light-gauge cold-formed steel strap-braced stud walls subjected to cyclic loading

The performance of cold-formed steel (CFS) strap-braced walls is evaluated by experimental tests on full-scale 2.4m x 2.4m specimens, and techniques to improve their behavior are presented. Different strap arrangements have been introduced, and their performance investigated by means of cyclic loading of a total of twenty full-scale walls. Several factors affecting the performance of cold-formed steel frame shear wall have been considered for each arrangement. This paper presents the failure modes of each system and the main factors contributing to the ductile response of the CFS walls to ensure that the diagonal straps yield and respond plastically with a significant drift and without any risk of brittle failure, such as connection failure or stud failure. Discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of including the non-structural gypsum board on lateral performance of the walls is also presented