EXPERIMENTAL TESTS ON PERFORATED COLD FORMED STEEL BRACING DIAGONALS

Since storage racks are being designed to considerable heights, for the purpose of improving warehouse efficiency, steel bracing systems are being introduced to increase the structural stability and seismic resistance. In the present paper, the structural response, under monotonic tensile and compression load, of perforated cold-formed steel diagonals of concentric bracing systems is investigated through experimental tests. Additional holes at one member-end allow for design and detailing rules of dissipative X concentric bracings to be satisfied, such as the ratio between the overstrength coefficients and the non-dimensional slenderness, required by current building codes in the capacity design. Results of the ongoing research provide useful information about the influence of the number and shape of holes on the ultimate strength, ductility and buckling load of bracing diagonals