Does anyone have experience in using a non-load-bearing steel stud wall with strap bracing as a lateral force resisting system?
This system that we are considering is for a two-story building. The perimeter steel studs bypass the second floor. A non-moment-resisting steel frame is used to carry gravity loads. Cold-formed steel strap braces will be used to resist lateral loads. I chose not to use the studs as a load-bearing wall due to the long spans for the second floor which would cause large loads to the bearing walls. This complicates the connections at the second floor level for in-plane shear transfer connections and the out-of-plane connections because they must allow for vertical movement of the second floor beams.
Has anyone used this type of system before? Can steel strap bracing be effectively used for a two-story non-load bearing stud wall? What connections are used?
This system that we are considering is for a two-story building. The perimeter steel studs bypass the second floor. A non-moment-resisting steel frame is used to carry gravity loads. Cold-formed steel strap braces will be used to resist lateral loads. I chose not to use the studs as a load-bearing wall due to the long spans for the second floor which would cause large loads to the bearing walls. This complicates the connections at the second floor level for in-plane shear transfer connections and the out-of-plane connections because they must allow for vertical movement of the second floor beams.
Has anyone used this type of system before? Can steel strap bracing be effectively used for a two-story non-load bearing stud wall? What connections are used?