Benjamin Schafer

Professor Benjamin W. Schafer
Swirnow Family Scholar

Congratulations to Professor Ben Schafer who has recently co-authored “Seismic Design of Cold-Formed Steel Lateral Load-Resisting Systems: A Guide for Practicing Engineers,” a technical brief released by the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) and the Applied Technology Council (ATC).

The brief provides a comprehensive overview of the seismic design of cold-formed steel (CFS) framed buildings and is based on topics covered in the recently released American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) standard.

NEHRP Technical Briefs are published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as aids in the efficient transfer of research into practice to reduce losses resulting from earthquakes.

This particular document provides the following:

  • An introduction to cold-formed steel systems and current seismic design philosophies for those systems.
  • An overview of the codes and standards developed and used by the industry.
  • A summary of cold-formed steel systems, including shear walls with wood structural panel sheathing or steel sheet sheathing attached to CFS framing, strap-braced walls, and special bolted moment frames using CFS sections.
  • A discussion on typical floor and roof diaphragms used in buildings with CFS seismic force-resisting systems.
  • An exploration of the newest AISI standards relating to cold-formed steel framing that will be referenced in upcoming building codes and standards.

A copy of the brief can be downloaded at http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.GCR.16-917-38.

AISI is an American National Standards developer recognized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). AISI develops standards related to steel structural members cold-formed to shape from carbon and low-alloy steels and is committed to fairness, transparency and performance in its efforts to ensure steel’s competitiveness in the marketplace. Professor Schafer is a member of AISI’s Committee on Specifications (COS) and Committee on Framing Standards (COFS).