The Impact of Bearing Conditions on the Stability Behavior of Cold-Formed Steel Stud Assemblies

The objective of this study is to explore the stability response of cold-formed steel stud assemblies (i.e., stud and track) with partial bearing conditions. Studs bearing under partial bearing conditions (i.e., not fully bearing on a concrete slab) may result in reduced axial capacities. Currently, behavior of these systems due to member instability is not well-understood, and cold-formed steel design specifications provide no guidance. This study provides an integral experimental and numerical investigation of the stability response of the studs under partial bearing conditions in order to quantify the reduction of their axial capacities. A variety of stud sections with different geometries and thicknesses and a variety of partial bearing conditions are considered in this study by parametrically varying edge (i.e., where the steel stud assembly is close to the concrete slab edge) and overhang (i.e., steel stud assembly is outside the edge) distances. The results of this study will be used to develop design guidelines for stud wall assembly under non-uniform bearing conditions.

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