This code specifies the requirements for the structural design of members cold-formed from light gauge steel. It is based on the Allowable Stress Design (ASD) philosophy and introduces the critical concept of 'effective width' to account for local buckling in thin-walled sections.
Provides guidelines for the design and construction of structures using cold-formed light gauge steel members.
Quick Reference Values
Allowable tensile stress on net section0.60 * f_y
Allowable bending stress in tension and compression0.60 * f_y
Maximum slenderness ratio (Kl/r) for compression members200
Maximum slenderness ratio (l/r) for tension members400
Maximum w/t ratio for unstiffened compression elements60
Key Formulas
be = ρ * w — Effective width of a compression element, where ρ is a reduction factor based on buckling stress.
Fa = [Factor] * fy — Allowable axial compressive stress, which is a function of the slenderness ratio (Kl/r).
Practical Notes
The central principle of this code is the 'effective width' concept (Clause 6.2), which accounts for local buckling in thin plates under compression. This is the main difference from designing with hot-rolled sections.
This code uses the Allowable Stress Design (ASD) method, not the modern Limit State Method (LSM). Safety is ensured by using allowable stresses that are a fraction of the material's yield strength.
Connection design (Clause 7) is critical and often governs the design of light gauge steel structures. Pay special attention to bolting, welding, and screwing details.