Numerical Assessment of CFS-SWP with Different Door Opening Positions

Abstract

"A prevalent method of countering lateral forces in seismic regions for structures made of Cold Formed Steel (CFS) involves
employing Shear Walls Panels (SWP) covered with steel sheets. The overall reaction and various failure modes during lateral
loading have become apparent, continuing to capture the interest of designers and researchers. Typically, door openings are everpresent
in the front and rear elevations where SWPs find their optimal position to ensure lateral stability in CFS structures. These
architectural design features translate into reduced areas for lateral load resistance throughout the structure. Through numerical
simulations, this paper discusses the effect of the door opening, with different positions in the SWP, on the shear strength
performance of CFS-SWP. A Finite Element (FE) modelling is developed using the ABAQUS software, taking into account
material and geometrical nonlinearities, as well as assembled sheathing-to-framing connections. In order to validate the FE
modelling with available experimental data, comprehensive static nonlinear analyses are conducted on CFS-SWP under
monotonic load. A good agreement is achieved, namely: nonlinear strength-displacement response, ultimate shear strength, and
failure modes. The effect of the door positions is assessed, in which, the opening position is found to have a significant impact on
the CFS-SWP performance. The results reveal that the position of the door opening between the central and the edge of the SWP
produces better performance than the other positions. However, the position of the door at the edge of the SWP induces additional
failure modes in the vicinity of the chord studs."