Experimental study on the cold-formed steel beam-to-column screw connections for seismic application

• Published in: Structures (Oxford) 2025-02, Vol.72, p.108173, Article 108173
• Main Authors: Maali, Merve Sağıroglu, Tavlaşoğlu, Mustafa Ensar, Maali, Mahyar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cold-formed steel (CFS); Moment-rotation; Optimum design; Screw connections; Seismic application
• ISSN: 2352-0124; 2352-0124
• DOI: 10.1016/j.istruc.2024.108173

Recently, structures constructed from cold-formed steel (CFS) have been popular. CFS members are manufactured by pressing or rolling steel sheets at room temperature, which allows for precisely shaping the steel into various profiles and configurations. The effectiveness of these frames largely depends on the CFS beam-to-column connections, where, in typical applications, loads are transferred through the beam web via a gusset plate, leaving the flanges disconnected. This setup increases the risk of premature local buckling failure in either the CFS beam web within the connection area or the gusset plate, consequently diminishing seismic performance. This study aims to investigate the effect of key design parameters such as profile thickness, gusset plate thickness, and stiffener plate usage on the moment-rotation behavior of screw connections between columns and beams in cold form steel structures under seismic application. It reviews experimental studies to address significant structural behavior issues by examining the results of these experiments. The outcomes obtained from the experiments are compared to identify design parameters that enhance the seismic performance of CFS screw connections between columns and beams. The evaluation of their seismic performance includes assessments of ductility, energy dissipation, and damping coefficient, resulting in practical design recommendations tailored to varying seismic performance levels. These findings provide valuable insights into improving the seismic resistance of CFS structures, emphasizing the importance of robust design parameters for ensuring structural safety during seismic events. The recommendations aim to guide engineers in optimizing connections to achieve enhanced performance and resilience under earthquake loading.