×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

metal stud limiting height - what is it?

metal stud limiting height - what is it?

metal stud limiting height - what is it?

(OP)
if I am building a demising partition wall with 6" metal studs from concrete slab to bottom of metal deck.

the bottom of the deck is approx. 19' AFF.

what is the typical load one should use - 5, 7.5 or 10 psf?

what is the typical min. allowable deflection - l/120, l/240 or l/360?

does limiting height effect what gauge, size & spacing of metal stud I can use?

e.g. is a 6" metal stud 20 gauge (.033) at 24" oc is OK only for the all load levels at l/120 but begins to fall short at stiffer deflections;

steve yarnall

http://svyarchitect.blogspot.com/

RE: metal stud limiting height - what is it?

This is a simple situation, but it should be investigated by an engineer familiar with the exact configuration, and I doubt anyone on this forum will feel comfortable giving you a specific answer to what your limits will be.

However, some guidance:

Allowable deflection depends on the type of finish on the wall. There are many publications on the web that can be found to help you figure out what is appropriate.

The minimum lateral load should be defined in whatever code you must design to.

RE: metal stud limiting height - what is it?

I presume AFF means "Above Finished Floor". It depends which code you are using. In Canada, the minimum lateral pressure on an interior partition is 5 psf but it can be more depending on the location of exterior wall openings.

Deflection is perhaps dependent on how you are finishing the partition. If it is to be finished with drywall, the deflection should be limited to L/360 to guard against cracking.

BA

RE: metal stud limiting height - what is it?

A reputable metal stud supplier / manufacturer should be able to furnish you cookbook tables to answer your questions. There are many out there, but the results can be product sensitive due to dissmilarities in the section properties.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
http://mmcengineering.tripod.com

RE: metal stud limiting height - what is it?

Typically, according to UBC - minimum of 5 psf wind and I think L/240 for drywall. BUT if you don't know where to find this or understand it - PLEASE get some help!!

It is right in the book!!1

RE: metal stud limiting height - what is it?

I think he is looking at an SSMA technical catalog or some other stud mfr’s. load table. Just give your local SE a call and he should be able to tell you over the phone.

RE: metal stud limiting height - what is it?

Order the Clark Dietrich technical catalog. It is free and they have some nifty design tables in there.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources