Evaluation of conventional steel stud walls for blast design

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Cold-formed steel studs exhibit favorable properties of strength and ductility that could provide the toughness needed to resist blast loading. Fully anchored steel studs can be prohibitively expensive, and thus it is important to evaluate the response of cold-formed steel studs that are anchored to floor slabs using conventional methods. To promote the widespread use of conventionally constructed cold-formed steel stud walls for blast design, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive methodology that accounts for the many parameters that affect the response of the wall. The objective of this thesis is to lay the foundations for a theory-based design methodology for conventional steel stud walls. Twenty-seven static tests have been conducted utilizing full-scale samples and deflection-controlled load application. An analytical model for predicting the static resistance of these walls under uniform loading was developed and verified through the testing. The largest improvement in performance was made by using additional stud-to-track screws, which increased toughness by up to ten times by utilizing four screws on each side of the connection. Improvements in overall wall performance developed in this thesis will necessitate future investigation into the track-to-floor anchorage.