A Review of Recent Numerical Modelling Studies on Cold-Formed Steel Shear Wall Systems

Abstract

Cold-formed steel (CFS) has become an increasingly used structural member in the construction industry over the past few decades due to its suitability for low- to mid-rise buildings and light industrial structures worldwide. In such structural systems, lateral loads generated by wind and seismic actions are commonly resisted by shear wall panels composed of lightweight steel framing members and sheathing materials. The performance of these systems are strongly influenced by the behaviour of the shear wall components and their interaction under different loading conditions. Experimental studies have provided insight into the structural response of cold-formed steel shear wall systems. However, experimental investigations are often costly and time-consuming, which has led to need of numerical modelling approaches to investigate their structural behaviour. Numerical models enable researchers to simulate different structural configurations and loading conditions while providing valuable information about nonlinear structural response. This paper presents a review of numerical modelling approaches used for the analysis of cold-formed steel shear wall systems and discusses different modelling strategies reported in the literature, including detailed member-based finite element models and simplified frame-based macro-modelling approaches. In addition, commonly used loading protocols and methods for representing nonlinear behaviour are examined. The advantages and limitations of these modelling strategies are evaluated based on findings reported in previous studies. The review highlights that while detailed finite element models provide accurate representation of local structural mechanisms, simplified macro-modelling approaches are often more suitable for system-level analyses of complete building structures due to their computational efficiency.