One of the major growth areas for cold formed steel sections has been in the structural sector, particularly track and stud for plasterboard partitioning support. Steel track and stud is seen as an environmentally friendly, recyclable alternative to the timber that is traditionally used for studding and roofing trusses. The objective of this research is two fold: (a) to calculate the minimum weight and the corresponding optimal geometrical dimensions of a C-channel section (with and without lips) subjected to axial compression, to manufacture the optimally designed sections and panels, and to compare the measured structural performance with that predicted; (b) to develop analytical tools that can be used to predict the effects of stud stiffness on sound transmission loss (STL) across double-wall partition boards, to optimise the stud design for enhanced STL, and to understand and predict the damping effects on STL.
