1-For simple residential home, the prescriptive method could be used in the International Residential code, IRC.
Section R603.1 General:
The provisions of this section shall control the construction of exterior steel wall framing and interior load-bearing steel framing for buildings not more than 60 feet long perpendicular to the joists or truss span, not more than 40 feet wide parallel to the joist or truss span, and not more than two stories in height. All exterior walls installed in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be considered as load-bearing walls. Steel walls constructed in accordance with the provision of this section shall be limited to sites subjected to a maximum design wind speed of 110 miles per hour, Exposure A, B, or C and a maximum ground snow load of 70 psf.
2-For members in residential projects where the material presented in the IRC don’t give an answer and for commercial projects, the International Building Code, IBC must be used. The IBC reference the Cold-Formed Steel Design, AISI Manual, by American Iron and Steel Institute.
Light Gauge/ Cold-Formed Steel Standards:
Universal Designation for Light gauge/ Cold-formed Steel:
The steel stud Manufacturers Association ( SSMA) has Published a catalog using a new designator system called "The right STUF".
The intent of the new designators is to make steel framing products easier to use and to accelerate their acceptance in new markets.
The C-shaped is used the most for the structural members such as studs, floor joists, roof rafters, roof trusses etc. The C-shaped section must have stiffeners/ lips with specified length/width to prevent local buckling. Please see the figure below
3. SECTION DESIGNATION AND PROPERTIES:
THE Right STUFF:
Universal Designator System for Light Gauge Steel
Framing Members
The Right STUFF will identify any common light gauge
steel framing member using:
Web Depth (D), expressed in 1/100th inches.
Flange Width (B), expressed in 1/100th inches.
Minimum Base Metal Thickness (T), expressed in mils (1/1000th inches), and the following designators,
S= Stud or Joist Sections with Flange Stiffeners (C-Shapes)
T = Track Sections
U = Cold-Rolled Channel or Channel Studs (w/o Flange
Stiffeners)
F = Furring Channels
EXAMPLES:
Designation for a 5-1/2"-16 gauge C-shape with 1-5/8" flanges and 1/2" stiffening lip = 550S162-54
54 Minimum bas metal thickness in mils (.054in = 54 mils)
162 1-5/8" flange in 1/100th inches
S Stud or joist with flange stiffeners
550 5-1/2" member depth in 1/100th inches (outside to outside
dimension)
Designation for a 3-1/2"-20 gauge Track with 1-1/4" flanges =
350T125-33
-33 Minimum bas metal thickness in mils (.033in = 33 mils)
125 1-1/4" flange in 1/100th inches
T Track section
350 3-1/2" member depth in 1/100th inches (inside to
Inside dimension)
4. FASTENERS AND CONNECTIONS
a. All fasteners shall be installed according to the
manufacturer's approved product evaluation report
[ICBOapproval].
b. Refer to fastener schedule and shearwall schedule per
plan.
c. Screws
1. All screws shall be a minimum size of #8 unless otherwise specified. All screws shall be corrosion
resistant and shall be spaced such that the minimum
center-to-center or edge distance of three screw
diameters is maintained. Self in -drilling tapping
screws shall conform to SAE-J78. A minimum of
three exposed threads shall extend through the
supporting steel member. Screws shall penetrate
individual components of connections without
causing permanent separation between the
components. Screws shall be installed in a manner
such that the threads or holes are not stripped. Head
styles, threads, and point types for screws shall be
selected based on application conditions and
manufacturer recommendations.
2. Screw Diameter Size Guidelines Based on Total
Thickness of Steel.
For SI: 1" = 25.4 mm.are in
1. Greater thickness' are possible, consult screw
manufacturer.
2. Self-drilling trapping screws are required when
total thickness of steel exceeds 0.033 inches.
Sharp point screws are acceptable for steel thickness' of
033 inches (0.84 mm) or less.
c- Bolts shall meet or exceed the requirements of ASTM A307.
Bolts shall be installed with nuts and washers. Center to
center spacing of bolt holes, connecting sheet metal material
to concrete, shall be a minimum of three bolt diameters.
Distance from the center of the bolt hole to the edge of the
connecting member shall not be less than 1-1/2 bolt
diameters. Bolt hole diameter shall not exceed the bolt
diameter by more than 1/16 inch.
d. Using pneumatically driven pins to attach floor, roof, and
walls.
Structural sheathing are allowed, provided:
1. Pin diameter shall be 0.10 inch or more.
2. Pins shall penetrate the steel framing a minimum of 1/4
inch.
3. Minimum distance between pins and panel edges shall be
3/8 inch.
4. Use adhesive between sheathing and floor joists.
5. Submit manufacturers design values for approval to the
engineer of record.
5. COLD FORMED STRUCTURAL FRAMING (LIGHT GAUGE
STEEL):
1. GENERAL
a. The structural framing and its installation shall meet the
following standards:
2.American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard C- 955 - Standard Specification for Load Bearing (Traverse and Axial) Steel Studs, Runners (Tracks), and Bracing or Bridging for Screw Application 0f Gypsum Board and Metal Plaster Bases.
Load Bearing (Traverse and Axial) Steel Studs and
Related Accessories.
b. Manufacturer of Light Gauge Framing:
1. Company specializing in fabrication of structural
framing components with five years minimum
experience.
meeting current Inspection Guidelines.
c. Temporary bracing shall be provided until
permanent bracing has been installed.
d. Punchouts, Cutting, Notching, and Hole Stiffening
Flanges of joists, studs, headers, and other structural
members shall not be cut or notched without an
approved design. Web holes closer than 12 inches
from center of hole to joist bearings, shall be
reinforced with a solid steel plate, stud, joist, or track
section of an equivalent thickness to the member it
reinforces, provided that the following limitations are
met:
exceed half the depth of the web, and
4 inches or the depth of the web, whichever is greater. Reinforcement shall extend at least 1 inch beyond all edges of the hole and shall be attached to the web with #8 screws (minimum) spaced no greater than 1 inch on center along the edges of the reinforcement.
members shall not exceed 1-1/2 inches wide x 4 inches long located along the centerline of the web at a minimum center to center spacing of 24 inches.
e. The framing members shall have ends squarely cut by
shearing or sawing, be installed plumb, square, true to
line and securely fastened per the contract documents
or approved connection details.
f. Submit shop drawings and product data. Indicate on
shop drawings component details, framed openings,
anchorage, loading, type and location of fasteners and
accessories or items required for other related work.
2. MATERIAL
a. The cold-formed structural framing and accessories
shall be manufactured from structural quality steel
having minimum yield strength of 33 KSI, for all design
thickness' and have minimum protective coating equal
to G-60 galvanized finish (ASTM A653M-95, Z180). The
steel shall conform to one of the following ASTM
Standards: ASTM A653.
b. Structural framing members shall conform to ASTM
C955 and have engineering properties calculated in
conformance with the AISI "Cold Formed Steel Design
Manual", latest edition.
c. Load bearing steel framing members shall have a legible
label, stamp, stencil, or embossment, at a minimum of 48
inches on center, with the following information as a
minimum:
1. The manufacturer's identification.
2. The minimum uncoated steel thickness.
3, Minimum yield strength in kips per square inch.
4. "ST" for structural members.
5. Metallic coating weight (mass).
3. WALL FRAMING
a. Building paper and sealer, or equivalent, shall be
provided between the underside of the tracks when
fastened directly to concrete.
b. All load bearing studs shall be aligned with trusses,
joists, and other horizontal or vertical load carrying
members above or below the wall stud. Top and bottom
wall tracks shall be of equal or greater thickness than that
of the studs.
c. Studs shall have full bearing against inside track web
(1/16 inches max. gap), prior to stud and track
attachment.
d. Load bearing steel studs shall be laterally braced. Refer
to 1/S2 for construction details.
plywood) fastened to wall studs in accordance with fastener schedule and shear wall schedule shown on plans. Sheathing shall cover the full-height of the wall from the bottom track to the top track. All edges and interior areas of the structural sheathing panels shall be fastened to a framing member and tracks. Provide blocking or strapping for unsupported panel edges.
8- foot walls, and 1/3 points for 9 and 10-foot walls.
e. Load bearing steel studs shall not be spliced without an
approved design. Splicing of wall tracks only shall be
conform with sheet S2.1. Wall tracks shall not be
spliced within 3 inches of studs or anchor bolt locations.
f. Corner studs and the wall intersections shall be installed
in accordance with sheet S2.1.
g. Stud deflection due to wind load shall not exceed L/360
Fire rating are expressed in terms of hours. Fire rating refer to the length of time it takes a fie to burn through a wall. A 1-hour fire rating can be achieved for both load bearing and nonbearing steel walls from 5/8 inch drywall on both sides of the stud wall with no insulation in the cavity.
The United States Gypsum company (USG) has tested fire and sound ratings for many different wall assemblies using USG products and ASTM standards. The results are published in USG’s Construction Selector ( United States Gypsum company, Chicago, IL,, publication No. SA100/3-99) Web: wwww.usg.com,
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Precision Structural Engineering, Inc.
250-A Main Street,
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
Telephone: (541) 850-6300
Fax: (541) 850-6233
info@structure1.com
