Post-fire capacity of light gauge steel framed walls

This research is aimed at determining the residual axial compressive capacity of Light gauge Steel Frame (LSF) walls made of lipped channel section studs following fire exposures. For this purpose, a series of short column tests was conducted on lipped channel studs obtained from LSF wall panels after being exposed to standard fire. Finite element analyses (FEA) of the tested studs were undertaken using the measured post-fire mechanical properties of cold-formed steels. The residual compression capacities of these fire exposed short columns were also predicted using the ambient temperature cold-formed steel design rules in AS/NZS 4600. A parametric study was then undertaken for 3 m long studs used in LSF wall panels with varying wall configurations exposed to standard fire. This paper presents the details of these experimental and numerical studies of fire exposed LSF wall panels, and the results. Using the post-fire load bearing capacity results, it shows that LSF wall frames can be re-used following fire exposures and provides appropriate limits for fire exposure time and stud hot flange temperature for the three commonly used LSF wall configurations.