CAREER: Comprehensive Research on Cold-Formed Steel Sheathed Shear Walls: Special Detailing, Design, and Innovation

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The research objective of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) project is to close the knowledge gaps about the behavior of cold-formed steel lateral force resisting systems that use shear walls sheathed with steel or wood panels. The study includes three major tasks: 1) Configuring a unique testing method designed to investigate the performance of cold-formed steel shear walls under realistic loading conditions to provide reliable experimental data to evaluate the current code prescribed shear wall strengths. 2) Based on the experimental data, establish accurate analytical models to predict the shear strength of cold-formed steel shear walls made with different sheathing materials and to provide design equations based on the principles of mechanics and mathematical models. 3) Develop advanced designs of high-performance shear wall systems with enhanced ductility and strength for low cost building constructions in seismic and strong wind zones. The results of this research will provide simplified and improved methodologies for safe and more economical design of building structures using the cold-formed steel shear walls which are known to be recyclable and provide better fire resistance compared to wood construction. This research will also make it feasible to use the cold-formed steel walls in taller buildings than what has been possible now in seismic and high wind regions. The educational activities of the project with the developments of hands-on experiments and teaching aids and a comprehensive text book will lead to improvements in teaching about the cold-formed steel structures to both graduate and undergraduate students. This will also promote professional interest in the use of this economical and sustainable method of building construction. Graduate students will receive advanced training in research methods through their direct involvement in the project research. The research results will be disseminated through publications in professional journals and conference proceeding as well as through a project website.