Interior Metal Stud Partition Wall Lateral Support
Interior Metal Stud Partition Wall Lateral Support
(OP)
I've got a client who has done some tenant fit-up work inside a multi-tenant industrial building. For the office areas he as a suspended ceiling with several 3-5/8" metal stud interior partition walls which extend 6" above the ceiling typically. They have braced some of the walls by connecting studs diagonally between the top tracks of adjoining walls. This is what I've seen in the vast majority of similar projects here (in Ontario, Canada) over the last 20 yrs.
However, the plans examiner has asked us to assess the adequacy of the partition walls lateral support. The design load for this type of case would be approximately 5psf (0.25 kPa). The design catalog for the stud manufacturer states that the suspended ceiling would serve as lateral support however this is not something I can easily prove. Any ideas how I should deal with it? Perhaps proposing additional bracing to the top track? The problem is that the walls are approximately 10' high whereas the roof deck of the building is at 30ft.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am not worried about the behaviour of the walls, but I'm stuck as to how to justify it to the plans examiner in a feasible way.
However, the plans examiner has asked us to assess the adequacy of the partition walls lateral support. The design load for this type of case would be approximately 5psf (0.25 kPa). The design catalog for the stud manufacturer states that the suspended ceiling would serve as lateral support however this is not something I can easily prove. Any ideas how I should deal with it? Perhaps proposing additional bracing to the top track? The problem is that the walls are approximately 10' high whereas the roof deck of the building is at 30ft.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am not worried about the behaviour of the walls, but I'm stuck as to how to justify it to the plans examiner in a feasible way.






RE: Interior Metal Stud Partition Wall Lateral Support
I ended up putting in 3-5/8" X 20 GA girts just above the ceiling, and diagonally bracing the girts to perpendicular walls. Basically, the perpendicular walls act as shear walls.
I believe you will need to do something similar--the studs can't be 30' tall.
DaveAtkins
RE: Interior Metal Stud Partition Wall Lateral Support
I think that I will respond that the ceiling is going to provide this lateral support and hopefully this will satisfy them. If not I will pursue it further.
Thanks for your reply.
RQ
RE: Interior Metal Stud Partition Wall Lateral Support
If you have enough perpendicular walls, I think Dave's idea is a good one.
I would not just assume the suspended ceiling braces anything. These are typically pieces that are fit together like puzzle pieces and might have a screw in some locations. That is not to say you cannot add framing yourself to make the ceiling function like you want, but that would be unusual and likely to get messed up or overlooked in the field.
RE: Interior Metal Stud Partition Wall Lateral Support
I'm not sure what the situation is in other parts of the world, but up here it's getting more and more the case that construction is *complete* prior to getting a full building permit(!) This makes it very difficult to satisfy the building officials when things are already constructed. (Grrr!)
RQ
RE: Interior Metal Stud Partition Wall Lateral Support
I doubt that your contractor will want to do anything like this.
RE: Interior Metal Stud Partition Wall Lateral Support
Although I have seen a lot of jobs (by architects and not structural engineers) where the wall studs stop under the suspended ceiling.
RE: Interior Metal Stud Partition Wall Lateral Support