Experimental work on single and double-sided steel sheathed cold-formed steel shear walls for seismic actions

•Experimental study on cyclic behavior of CFS shear walls is presented.•Both single and double-sided steel sheathing were employed.•Sheathing-to-frame connection failure and chord stud buckling were observed.•Using double-sided sheathings increases energy dissipation and shear strength.•Sheathing screw failure through bearing action led to higher energy dissipation.

Experimental investigation is presented on cold-formed steel (CFS) shear walls comprising single and double-sided steel sheathing. Cyclic loading tests were performed on six CFS wall specimens. The observed predominant failure modes include sheathing buckling, sheathing-to-frame connection bearing/tilting and chord stud buckling. The walls developing sheathing connection failure show higher energy dissipation than the walls imposing chord stud buckling. Using double-sided sheathings increases the energy dissipation, shear strength and elastic stiffness by up to 70%, 63% and 115%, respectively compared to those of single-sided sheathed walls. On the use of sheathing on both sides the chord stud failure must be avoided.