Optimised and slotted cold-formed steel channels: a solution for modular buidling systems

The steel construction industry has recently put a lot of effort to better understand Modular Building Systems (MBS) and replaced, where possible, conventional construction methods. MBS claims promising advantages including speed of erection, improved quality, reduced cost, and flexibility. Therefore, research efforts are tuned to the structural, social, and safety evaluations of MBS while it is recognised that there are challenges associated with their use, yet to be addressed. The main challenges are improving structural, fire, and energy performances, need for lightweight materials, more access space during renovation and transportation difficulties. This paper investigates how the use of optimised Cold-Formed Steel (CFS) members with slotted web can address such challenges. The optimisation was performed using Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) method and subsequently, slotted perforations were added to enhance the structural, fire and energy performances, respectively. Finite Element (FE) analysis was employed to assess the performance of optimised innovative CFS beams with slotted perforations. As a result, the optimisation and FE analyses resulted in a 30-65% of flexural capacity enhancements along with notable performance improvement in fire and energy performances over conventional Lipped Channel Beam (LCB). Using such optimised innovative sections a conceptual design of a corner-post module was also developed. Hence, the optimised CFS channels with slotted perforations would be a convenient tool to overcome the reported challenges related to MBS, result in more cost-effective and efficient building solutions.