Pull-out capacity of multiple screw fastener connections in cold-formed steel roof battens

Light gauge steel roofing systems of low rise buildings are made of high strength steel roof cladding, battens and purlins/rafters/trusses and fastened with self-drilling screws. Localised failures occurring at these screw connections under wind uplift loading often lead to catastrophic losses of steel roofing systems during severe storm events. Pull-out failures occurring at the two bottom flanges of roof batten to purlin/rafter screw connections is one of them. Multiple screw fasteners connecting the bottom flanges of roof battens to purlins/rafters pull out prematurely from the light gauge steel purlins/rafters. Since the structural behaviour of multiple screw connections differs significantly from the behaviour of single screw connections, the pull-out capacity of multiple screw connections cannot be calculated directly based on the number of screw fasteners. Hence a series of 80 small scale pull-out tests was conducted to investigate the pull-out capacities of two and four-screw fastener connections in roof battens. The pull-out failure loads from the tests were first compared with the pull-out capacities predicted using the design equations in the current cold-formed steel design standards. Suitable design modifications were then proposed to accurately calculate the pull-out capacities of roof battens with two and four-screw connections. This paper describes the details and the results of this study.