The hidden structural role of cladding in steel-framed buildings

Authors

  • Zsolt NAGY Kolozsvári Műszaki Egyetem (UTC-N)
  • Barnabás-Attila LŐRINCZ Kolozsvári Műszaki Egyetem (UTC-N)
  • Sára RÁCZ Kolozsvári Műszaki Egyetem (UTC-N)
  • Andrea KELEMEN Kolozsvári Műszaki Egyetem (UTC-N)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.66987/EPKO.2026.19

Keywords:

stressed skin action, diaphragm behavior of the cladding, structure-cladding interaction

Abstract

Our article examines the hidden structural role of cladding systems in steel-framed buildings. The focus of the research is on the stiffness and stabilization effects of claddings made of trapezoidal sheets and sandwich panels, with particular attention to their diaphragm effect and interaction with the load-bearing steel frame. The aim of the research is to explore the extent to which cladding systems contribute to the global structural behavior of the building, and to what extent these effects appear in modern design practice and calculation models. The research is based on a literature review, a standard background study, performed experiments and numerical modeling.

References

[1] Andrea Renáta Kelemen , Zsolt Nagy , Barnabás-Attila Lőrincz , Experimental testing of stressed skin effect of sandwich panel roof diaphragms – Test result evaluation considering diaphragm rigidity, Journal of Structures, 80 (2025) 110073, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2025.110073

[2] Barnabás-Attila Lőrincz, Zsolt Nagy, Andrea Renáta Kelemen, Szabolcs-Botond Lőrincz-Molnár, Two-side fastened trapezoidal sheet diaphragms: investigation of the diaphrag to rafterconnection, Journal of Constructional Steel Research (under review)

[3] Zsolt Nagy, Andrea Renáta Kelemen, Gelu Zaharia, Béla Bács, Comparative study between stressed skin effect of trapezoidal sheet and sandwich panel roof cladding, ce/papers. 4. 423-431. 10.1002/cepa.1312

[4] Nagy, Zs.; Muresan, A.; Fodor, R. (2019) Experimental investigations for joints made by cold-formed sigma profiles. 18th International Conference Modern Technologies for the Third Millennium, ISBN 978-88-87729-61-0, S. 247–252

[5] Käpplein, S.; Misiek, T. (2011) EASIE project - Report no. D3.3 – part 2: In-plane shear resistance of sandwich Panels. Karlsruhe: Ensuring Advancement in Sandwich Construction Through Innovation and Exploitation.

[6] ECCS Technical Working Group 7.5. (1995) European Recommendations for the Application of Metal Sheeting acting as a Diaphragm – Stressed Skin Design. European Convention for Constructional Steelwork

[7] European Committee for Standardization. FprEN 1993-1-3. Design of steel structures – Part 1-3: General rules and rules - Supplementary rules for cold-formed members and sheeting. 2023.

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Published

2026-06-12

Issue

XXX. Nemzetközi Építéstudományi Konferencia

Section

ÉPKO

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Zsolt NAGY, Barnabás-Attila LŐRINCZ, Sára RÁCZ, Andrea KELEMEN

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.