Design Resources

Many of the resources listed in this section may be downloaded free of charge. By clicking on the publication link it will automatically open the document in Adobe Acrobat Reader.  If you would prefer to save the document and view later, right click on the link and select "Save As" and then save to the desired folder on your system. The publication order number and cost are listed at the end of each description. 

If you have any questions regarding publications, contact tlewis@nasfa.org

You may need to download Acrobat Reader to view some of these documents.


Steel Framing Manual

Includes one each of all technical publications (except NT4-98, NT7-00, NT19-99F and NT18-98).  Also includes the Residential Steel Framing Directory.  Order the complete manual and save $115! (NT1-99 $150.00)


Prescriptive Method for Residential Cold-Formed Steel Framing
(2000 Edition)
Click here for FREE download options.
Prescriptive approach for the construction of one- and two-family residential dwellings with cold formed steel framing that standardizes the basic steel members, provides labeling guidelines, and gives minimum corrosion protection requirements.  Includes floor and ceiling joist span tables with and without web stiffeners, rafter span tables, wall stud tables, wall bracing requirements, and connection requirements, high wind and seismic requirements, L-header tables and details, guidelines on how to use the Prescriptive Method, expanded thermal, mechanical, electrical and HVAC guidelines and construction details, fire and acoustic information and much more.  (NT3-00 $20.00)

Commentary on the Prescriptive Method for Residential Cold-Formed Steel Framing (Second Edition)
A supplement to the Prescriptive Method which serves as a documentation of rationale and decisions behind various provisions, guidance on the use of the provisions, and documentation of engineering calculations and judgements. (NT4-98 $25.00)

Low-Rise Residential Steel Construction Details and Guidelines  
Details intended to provide designers and contractors with guidance on design, detailing and construction of low-rise residential buildings that utilize cold-formed steel framing members. (NT6-00 $50.00)  Also available on CD-ROM with files in DWG (requires AutoCad version 14), WMF and DXF format (NT7-00 $40.00)


 

 

Shear Wall Design Guide
Full Document in PDF (97kb)
Cold-formed steel shear wall design guidelines with (1) plywood and oriented strand board (OSB) on the exterior surface, with or without gypsum wall board (GWB) on he interior wall surface, (2) GWB on both surfaces, (3) steel sheathing on one side, and (4) steel x-bracing on one side. (NT8-98 $15.00)

 

 

Thermal Design Guide for Exterior Walls
Introduction in PDF (51kb)
Full Document in PDF (4,623kb)
Provides guidance on thermal design for buildings that utilize cold-formed steel framing members, including calculating R-values, suggested insulation levels, and wall system descriptions. (NT14-95 $15.00)

 

 

Design Guide for Cold-Formed Steel Trusses
Full Document in PDF (49kb)
Design guide to assist in the design and encourage innovative development of cold-formed steel roof and floor trusses. This design guide prescribes minimum strength and serviceability requirements. (NT13-95 $15.00)


 


design.gif (6960 bytes)Design Guide for Cold-Formed Steel Beams with Web Penetration
Full Document in PDF (383kb)
Design guidelines for the determination of the strength of a cold-formed steel flexural member with a web penetration. Limit states of bending, shear and web crippling as well as combinations of (1) bending and shear and (2) bending and web crippling are addressed. (NT11-97 $15.00)

 

 

Residential Steel Beam and Column Load/Span Tables
Introductory Discussion in PDF (153kb)
Full Document in PDF (6039kb)
Load/span tables for beam and column sections that are commonly used in residential construction. The tables are based on information contained in the 1989 AISC Allowable Stress Design Specification Manual and contain beams and columns supporting floor system spans or tributary widths from 6 to 24 feet, in two-foot increments. (NT12-96 $15.00)




The following design resources are available from the Light Gauge Steel Engineers Association.

Cold-Formed Steel Floor Joists
Review of AISI design requirements of steel floor joists, including deflection, bending moment, shear web crippling, punch-outs, web stiffeners and more.

Design Guide for Construction Bracing of Cold-Formed Steel Trusses
Review of the basic requirements and design parameters for construction bracing of cold-formed steel truss systems.

Design Guide for Permanent Bracing of Cold-Formed Steel Trusses
Review of the basic requirements and design parameters for permanent bracing of cold-formed steel truss systems.

Specifying Pre-Engineered Cold-Formed Steel Roof and Floor Trusses
Review the issues a framing specifier should consider to assure the intent of the design is being met, includes suggested model specification for CFS roof trusses and an overview of the "Standard Practice for Cold-Formed Steel Truss Design Responsibilities."

Shear Transfer at Top Plat: Drag Strut Design
Discusses the design for shear transfer between diaphragms and the supporting lateral force resisting system, includes design requirements for drag struts at openings and at offset walls, diaphragm chords and strut splices.

Lateral Load Resisting Elements: Diaphragm Design Values
Examines the derivation of service load values for structural diaphragms that utilize plywood sheathing over cold-formed steel framing, includes a brief review of some of the structural issues that the design professional should consider.

Diaphragm Design with Pneumatically Driven Pins
Contains procedures for the design of connections using pneumatically driven pins.