Experimental Study of Composite Cold-Formed Steel Trusses in Floor Systems Subjected to Cyclic Loading

Abstract

Composite Cold-Formed Steel (CFS) trusses are increasingly used in building construction due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, making them ideal for long spans. However, their behavior under cyclic loads remains an important research area. Therefore, this study investigates the behavior of CFS trusses under cyclic loading. The primary aim is to study the factors affecting the behavior of composite CFS trusses, such as the thickness of truss members, type of shear connector, thickness of gusset plates, and type of truss. Sixteen full-scale composite CFS truss models were tested and investigated in terms of load-carrying capacity, failure mechanism, maximum deformation, and interaction between the concrete slabs and CFS trusses. Additionally, this study proposes four new solutions for bolted CFS shear connectors. Nine push-out specimens were tested to investigate the behavior of the proposed connectors in terms of shear capacity, maximum displacement, and failure mechanism. The results of the full-scale models showed that the behavior of the composite CFS trusses was mainly affected by the thickness of the gusset plates. The results of the push-out specimens were used to develop design equations that could be used to calculate the shear capacity of the proposed connectors.