Criteria for Selection of Sheathing Boards in Cold-Formed Steel Wall Panels Subjected to Bending: Construction Applications and Performance-Based Evaluation

Globally, cold-formed steel (CFS) construction is gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional methods of construction. However, there is a need for robust design specifications for each structural component and material used in the CFS construction practice. One material that is largely being used in the CFS construction process is the sheathing board for wall panel construction. However, as per the authors' knowledge, there is no consistent criteria or specification for the selection of the sheathing board used in the construction. Besides, there are also no guidelines on parameters to be considered while selecting the sheathing material. Therefore, this paper aims to provide suggestions to select the appropriate sheathing based on the purpose and application of the sheathing. The interdependent parameters that influence the failure of the sheathing board connections such as type of screw, presence of washer, number of sheathing screw connections, edge/end distance, the failure mode of the wall frame studs, and geometry of the frame studs are discussed in the present study. The failure characteristics of four different sheathing boards are examined with the interdependent parameters. In addition, four different screw types are examined for better holding capacity and desired mode of failure. Furthermore, the suitability of existing recommendations for sheathing board requirement and installation methods are investigated. The suggested selection criteria for the sheathing boards are based on the various failure modes observed and the practical issues encountered in the CFS frame construction.