Numerical and experimental investigation on cold-formed walls sheathed by fiber cement board.

This paper presents an experimental investigation followed by numerical modeling for cold-formed steel (CFS) shear wall sheathed by fiber-cement board (FCB) under monotonic lateral load. Afterwards a numerical parametric study was performed taking into consideration various factors affecting the system ductility. The response modification factor was estimated using Equal Energy Elastic-Plastic rule. The results showed that the screw connections between the FCB and the steel framing members are of significant impact on the nonlinear behavior of the system. Also, the X-strap bracing increases the lateral load capacity and the values of response reduction factors (R) of the sheathed CFS shear walls. • The recommended screw spacing is between 100 and 200 mm. • Using noggin members improves the capacity of the shear wall. • The X-strap bracing significantly improves the lateral resistance of the shear wall. • Fiber cement board sheathing enhances the shear stiffness of the shear wall. • Average response reduction factor for this system of shear wall is equal to three. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]