Wall Stud-to-Track Gap: Experimental Investigation

Abstract

Because of an increasing interest in the use of cold-formed steel for commercial and residential framing, both design and installation guidelines are needed. The wall framing, which typically consists of axial load bearing C-section studs, is laterally braced and attached at the bottom and top of the wall to a track section. The common bottom and top attachment consists of the wall stud and track of nominally the same cross-section depth. Because the nominal depths of the C-section and the track are similar, a tight connection is often not achieved and a gap occurs. The