The Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) has published a new Technical Note, “Mechanical Bridging and Bridging Anchorage of Axially Loaded Cold-Formed Steel Studs” (Tech Note W400-16). It provides a detailed discussion of the design requirements and methods to laterally brace (bridge) axially loaded cold-formed steel stud walls.
Cold-formed steel studs provide a cost-effective and extremely efficient structural solution for a typical mid-rise building. In recent years, the height of a typical cold-formed steel building has increased due to advancements gained through comprehensive research and testing on the behavior and design parameters of cold-formed steel. To ensure the integrity of the structure, the design engineer must fully understand the behavior and bracing requirements of a cold-formed steel load-bearing stud. This Technical Note examines the bridging and anchorage requirements, the methods to achieve them, and the current code requirements for buckling resistance.