Introduction
Special Issue on Cold-Formed Steel Structures
Benjamin W. Schafer, A.M.ASCE
Guest Editor, Professor and Chair, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Johns
Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD 21218 (corresponding author). E-mail:
schafer@jhu.edu
Dinar Camotim
Guest Editor, Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Architecture and
Georesources, Instituto Superior Tcnico (ICIST), Technical Univ. of
Lisbon, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal. E-mail: dcamotim@civil.ist.utl.pt
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DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000820
Introduction
Because of the recent increase and diversity in commercial activity
dealing with the usage of cold-formed steel structures in the con-
struction industry, the research community working with this type of
structure has been faced with new challenges. This has fostered
a fairly large number of considerable advances in structural engi-
neering topics related to cold-formed steel applications. The aim of
this special issue of the Journal of Structural Engineering is to put
together, in a single comprehensive issue, a representative sample
of the newest and most relevant analytical, numerical, and experi-
mental original research devoted to investigating the behavior and
design of cold-formed steel structures around the world. Indeed, this
issue includes contributions from researchers working in 13 coun-
tries, located on four continents.
This special issue contains 18 technical papers and one technical
note covering a wealth of topics concerning cold-formed steel
structural systems. Without claiming to be exhaustive, it is possible
to nd papers dealing with members (columns and beams), panels,
frames, walls, shear walls, and connections. Overall, the papers
describe specic analytical, numerical, or experimental inves-
tigations that (1) address rst-order buckling, postbuckling, or
ductility problems; (2) involve static or dynamic (including seismic)
analyses; (3) cover both carbon and stainless cold-formed steels, and
(4) are concerned mainly with behavioral aspects or focus on design
issues; namely, the development of rules for codes and specica-
tions. For organizational purposes, the papers are divided into four
groups, each one corresponding, as much as possible, to a given
structural system type. The rst group is comprised of eight papers
on the analysis and design of isolated cold-formed steel structural
elements, including seven papers on members and one on panels.
The second group includes three papers that are concerned with the
behavior and design of cold-formed steel connections, one aiming
specically at studying effects resulting from elevated temper-
atures. The technical note that closes the special issue also ad-
dresses a connection strength problem. Next, the third group
consists of four papers that report investigations on the static be-
havior and design of cold-formed steel walls (one paper) and the
cyclic/dynamic behavior and performance of shear walls (three
papers). Finally, the last group contains the remaining three papers,
all concerning cold-formed steel frames; two papers on buildings
and one on storage racks. The content of each of the papers in-
cluded in the special issue is succinctly outlined in the subsequent
sections.
JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING ASCE / MAY 2013 / 637
J. Struct. Eng., 2013, 139(5): 637-639
Cold-Formed Steel Structural Elements
Keerthan and Mahendran (University of Queensland, Brisbane,
Australia) present a numerical investigation of the shear behavior
and strength of LiteSteel beams (LSBs) with web openings. The
LSB is a new cold-formed steel hollow ange channel section,
which is produced by a combination of cold-forming and welding
and used as oor joists and transfer beams in residential, industrial,
and commercial buildings. After showing that the existing design
equations do not provide acceptable estimates of the beam shear
capacity, an alternative shear design method is proposed, which
compares well with the presented numerical values and experi-
mental results. The next paper, coauthored by Basaglia and
Camotim (Technical University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal),
deals with the numerical assessment of the buckling, postbuck-
ling, strength, and collapse of lipped channel continuous beams
subjected to nonuniform bending. Using results obtained from
buckling analyses based on generalized beam theory and shell nite-
element rst-order plastic analyses, it is shown that the current direct
strength method (DSM) design equations, duly modied, may be used
to adequately predict the load-carrying capacity of continuous beams.
The DSM is also used in the investigation presented in two papers;
one by Casafont et al., which stemmed from a cooperation between
the Universitat Politcnica de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain) and
Cornell University (Ithaca, New York); and the other by Silvestre
et al., originating from the Technical University of Lisbon. The rst
paper aims at predicting the load-carrying capacity of perforated
storage rack columns and provides evidence that a DSM approach
can be readily used to adequately estimate the ultimate strength
of columns failing in distortional and global (exural-torsional)
modes; however, this approach is ineffective in predicting failure
loads associated with predominantly local modes. On the other
hand, the second paper revisits the design of equal-leg angle with
short-to-intermediate lengths (i.e., those buckling in exural-
torsional modes) and develops distinct DSM-based procedures
for xed- and pin-ended columns that lead to accurate ultimate
strength estimates in a wide slenderness range. These procedures
are shown to provide accurate ultimate strength predictions while
retaining the simplicity and LRFD resistance factor (f 5 0:85) of
the current DSM.
The remaining four papers in this group deal with experimental
investigations. Moen et al. (Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia)
explore experimentally the load-deformation response and capacity
of cold-formed steel C-section joists with discrete unstiffened web
holes susceptible to distortional buckling. The web holes amplify the
distortional deformations in the joist and reduce its load-carrying
capacity, thus evidencing the need for a forthcoming new DSM
design approach. The next paper, coauthored by Dubina et al.
(Politehnica University of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania), reports
the results of an experimental study involving pallet rack uprights
(with and without perforations), with the intention of evaluating
their ultimate load erosion stemming from distortional-exural
buckling interaction. The test values are subsequently used to cali-
brate a design approach based on the erosion of critical bifurcation
load concept. Next, Afshan and Gardner, from Imperial College
(London), coauthor the only paper of this special issue dealing with
cold-formed stainless steel. The work displays experimental results
 concerning material, cross-section, and member tests involving
several steel grades and including rigorous measurements of the
local and global initial geometrical imperfections exhibited by the
test specimens. These results are then used (1) to assess the ap-
plicability of the current European and North American design
provisions to ferritic stainless steel structural components, and (2)
to compare the structural performance of this relatively low-
cost stainless steel grade with that of those more commonly
used. Finally, the last paper in this group by dny et al. reports
the results of experimental studies carried out at the Budapest
University of Technology and Economics (Hungary) on panels
built from deep trapezoidal sheeting with perforated webs. The
purpose of these studies, which also include panels without per-
forations, is to assess how the perforations erode the panel stiff-
ness and/or resistances associated with response under a variety
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of loads; i.e., bending, shear, and web crippling. On the basis of
the test results, reduction factors for stiffness and resistance,
intended to be used with the design rules prescribed in Eurocode 3,
are proposed.
Cold-Formed Steel Connections
Teh and Gilbert (University of Sydney and Gold Coast Grifth
University, Australia) examine the accuracy of equations specied
by the North American and Australasian steel codes for predicting
the net section tension capacity of channel braces bolted at the
web. The strength depends chiey on three effects; i.e., in-plane
shear lag, out-of-plane shear lag, and bending moment as a result
of connection eccentricity. After concluding that no existing equa-
tions are adequately reliable, the authors propose a novel equation
that incorporates explicitly the aforementioned three effects and
outperforms the existing expressions. The second paper, coauthored
by Bolandim et al. (University of So Paulo, So Paulo, Brazil),
reports experimental results concerning the net section rupture of
bolted connections in angles and channels. The test results are used
to evaluate connection strength predictions according to the Bra-
zilian and North American specications. Errors in the predictions
are incorporated into a reliability analysis that suggests further cal-
ibration of the strength equations for bolted connections is needed.
The last paper in this group comes from The University of Hong
Kong and is the only one in this special issue to address temperature
effects. The paper details experimental research work carried out by
Yan and Young on double shear bolted connections subjected to
elevated temperatures, which may fail in bearing, tear out, net sec-
tion tension, bolt shear, and/or material failures. It is shown that the
current North American, Australian/New Zealand, and European
specications, based on reduced material properties (because of the
elevated temperature), consistently underestimate the experimental
ultimate strength values.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that the technical note included
in this special issue, which is coauthored by Yu and Xu (Uni-
versity of North Texas, Denton, Texas), also deals with con-
nections. The note concerns a parametric experimental study to
assess the sheet shear strength in bolted connections involving
oversized holes. The parameters considered are the sheet thick-
ness, connection type (single or double shear), and bolt diameter.
The best shear strength predictions are achieved by using the
method prescribed in the previous version of American Iron and
Steel Institute (AISI) Specication AISI S100, provided that
newly proposed resistance factors are adopted.
638 / JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING ASCE / MAY 2013
J. Struct. Eng., 2013, 139(5): 637-639
Cold-Formed Steel Walls and Shear Walls
On the basis of extensive analytical, numerical, and experimental
studies dealing with various behavioral features exhibited by walls
framed from studs and tracks that rely on traditional sheathing
materials as primary bracing against compressive loads, Vieira and
Schafer (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore) develop a robust
design method to estimate the ultimate strength of such walls. Unlike
its predecessors, the proposed method is able to handle dissimilar
sheathing attached to the stud anges, and is shown to provide con-
sistently accurate estimates of the values obtained from experimental
tests. In the work of Ozaki et al. (Nippon Steel, Japan) the notion of
replaceable fuses for dissipating seismic demandsan idea that has
been successfully applied to hot-rolled steel structuresis shown to
be valid and useful for cold-formed steel framed structures with
shear walls as the primary lateral force resisting system. The fuses
are utilized inside novel shear wall hold-downs and are shown to
signicantly increase energy dissipation and decrease peak drift
demands. Traditional sheathing materials adopted in shear walls can
only provide lateral capacities within certain limits. As a result, at
and corrugated steel sheet shear walls have recently been in-
vestigated. The shear buckling that occurs in the sheet can lead to
large boundary/connector forces, a result that has presented a num-
ber of challenges in the research. Shimizu et al. (Nippon Steel and
Toyko University of Technology) have studied this problem and
developed details ensuring that corrugated steel sheet shear walls
fail in a stable, nicely dissipative, end failure mechanism. This
mechanism appears to be very promising in providing improved
strength and ductility to corrugated steel sheet diaphragms and shear
walls. Meanwhile, Shamim et al. (McGill University, Montreal)
performed single and multistory shake table tests to acquire further
insight into the behavior of steel sheet sheathed shear walls. The
testing demonstrates the importance of a careful capacity-based
design philosophy for detailing the chord studs, and provides
a full characterization of the nonlinear response of steel sheet
sheathed shear walls appropriate for nonlinear time history
modeling.
Cold-Formed Steel Frames
The development of cold-formed steel systems in China is now
proceeding at a rapid pace. Li et al. (Tongji University, Shanghai,
China) provide a rare summary of the extensive research that has
been conducted over the last 5 years in order to update the Chinese
cold-formed steel code. The paper reports on efforts in basic element
behavior, concentrically and eccentrically loaded compression
members, exural members, reliability analysis, screw connections,
shear walls, trusses, and seismic performance of full buildings. In
Dao and van de Lindts work (University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa,
Alabama) the focus shifts from code development to innovation in
new systems for light steel framing. The authors explore a novel
system including oor trusses, open panels, V-braced panels, col-
umns, and connections. Energy dissipation in the walls primarily
relies on bending of the gusset plate at the end of the V-bracing, and
is shown to be a reliable mechanism in tests. In the nal paper in
this group, Rasmussen and Gilbert (University of Sydney and Gold
Coast Grifth University) provide a glimpse into the future for
analysis-based design of cold-formed steel frames, with the focus
being on storage racks. Based on the new Australian Standard for
Steel Storage Racks, guidance is provided for analysis-based design,
enabled by material and geometric nonlinear analysis, for both
conventional beam-element models and full-shell nite-element
models that include cross-section distortion.
 Acknowledgments
Before closing, the authors of the papers included in this special is-
sue are thanked for the quality of their work, and also for their pa-
tience and support with the preparation and revision of their
manuscripts. It was a real pleasure to interact and cooperate with
each of them. Likewise, the help of the reviewers is greatly appreci-
ated because their valuable criticisms and suggestions contributed
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decisively to improving the technical content. Within this context,
Dr. Roger LaBoube, Director of the Wei-Wen Yu Center for
Cold-Formed Steel Structures, deserves a special acknowledg-
ment because he provided excellent reviews for several papers. Fi-
nally, sincere gratitude is also expressed to Dr. Sherif El-Tawil,
Chief Editor of the Journal of Structural Engineering, who sug-
gested, and enthusiastically supported, the publication of this spe-
cial issue.

JOURNAL OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING ASCE / MAY 2013 / 639

J. Struct. Eng., 2013, 139(5): 637-639