Resources
The Canadian Cold Formed Steel Research Group was established in 1998 under the auspices of the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute. The objectives of the group include the following:
- Develop and promote research activities in cold formed steel.
- Provide an organizational structure to develop research proposals and solicit funds from industry and government.
- Create a focal point for research into cold formed steel as a structural building material.
- Encourage graduate and undergraduate students to study structural engineering and carry out research in cold formed steel.
- Work with CSA S136 in the ongoing development of technical provisions as they relate to practical design.
- Provide up to date information such as latest research activities and publications to the web site user.
For information on cold formed steel research, visit the Group's web site at www.civil.uwaterloo.ca/ccfsrg.
Another useful resource for information on cold formed steel is the Wei-Wen Yu Center for Cold Formed Steel Structures.
Research Notes
RN 1-02 Strength of Floor Joists with Offset Loading on Bearing Stiffeners
It is common practice in cold formed steel framing to require the load bearing elements (i.e. rafters, studs, joists) to be lined up so that the gravity loads are transferred in a direct line to the foundation. This eliminates the need for transfer beams at junction points, and is called “in-line framing”. The standard details for residential steel framing allow a ¾ in. offset between vertical load bearing members to be classified as being in-line. Reported in this Research Note are the results of a research project that tested cold formed steel floor assemblies where the axial load bearing studs were offset from the floor joist. It was concluded that the offset between the floor joist bearing stiffener and the load bearing studs was the significant parameter. If this alignment is maintained, the ¾ in. offset does not significantly affect the strength of the assembly.
RN 1-03 The Strength of Stiffened CFS Floor Joist Assemblies with Offset Loading
One of the requirements common in cold-formed steel construction is for “in-line” framing. In-line framing means that the joist, rafter, truss and structural wall stud shall be aligned so that the centerline (mid-width) is within ¾ inch (19 mm) of the centerline (mid-width) of the load bearing members beneath. The ¾ inch allowable offset creates the possibility for a misalignment in the load path from an upper story load bearing stud wall, through a joist with a bearing stiffener and onto a load bearing stud or foundation wall below. Described in this Research Note are the results and conclusions drawn from a total of 110 end- and interior-two-flange loading tests of various floor joist assemblies, carried out to determine the effect that an offset loading has on the strength of typical floors.
RN 2-03 Wall Deflection Limit For Steel Stud and Gypsum Board Walls
Interior non-load bearing partition walls framed with steel stud and finished with gypsum board have been in use for over 30 years. There are many benefits to this type of construction. The specification of these wall assemblies varies based on the building requirements, and can include wall deflections of L/240, L/180 or even L/120. Reported in this Research Note are the results on an experimental investigation to determine if an L/120 deflection limit would result in cracking the gypsum wall board at the taped joint.
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