Seismic performance assessment of CFS strap‐braced walls using optimised sections

Light steel-framed buildings using cold-formed steel (CFS) profiles are common in low- to mid-rise structures, with CFS strap-braced frames as primary lateral force-resisting systems. This study investigates CFS strap-braced walls, in which the studs are optimised as beam-column elements, to improve seismic performance and design efficiency. A representative cross-section, based on commercially available profiles, is selected and optimised to achieve maximum load-bearing capacity while complying with standard and market constraints. Finite element (FE) models of CFS strap-braced walls with both commercially available and optimised stud sections are then developed. The influence of gravity loads, which is ignored in the conventional design of CFS strap-braced walls, is examined by applying various load intensities based on the total compressive strength of the chords and studs. Performance evaluation involves the compliance against maximum allowable drift limits without any premature failure due to the P-Δ effect in the chord studs. The findings contribute to the advancement of seismic design methodologies for CFS structures by providing a framework for optimising CFS strap-braced frames, thereby enhancing their ductility, safety, and stability in earthquake-prone regions.