Gyp Board Panel Shearwall on Metal Stud Wall

[vandede427]

Okay, I'm trying to find out if IBC will allow a metal stud wall sheathed with gyp board to resist the seismic forces from a concrete slab.

Both the 2003 and 2006 IBC state that a wood stud wall sheathed with gyp is not allowed to do this.

2003 IBC has Section 2211 Cold-Formed Steel Light-Framed Shear Walls which doesn't say that it can't be done.

2006 IBC eliminated Section 2211 and directs you to the AISI spec.

Does anybody have any experience or knowledge about this?

 

[vandede427]

IBC 2003 Section 2211 doesn't say that it's not allowed (gyp panels on metal studs for concrete deck seismic), but table 2306.4.5 says it's not allowed for wood studs.

Is there any reason anybody can think of why it would be allowed for metal studs and not for wood studs?

 

[WAMRE]

It doesn't seem like it should be allowed for metal studs either. Whether it is wood or metal studs it is still light frame construction and the gyp panels are still gyp panels. But, I do not see anything in the IBC or AISI lateral design standard that specifically does not allow it for metal studs. It is doubtful that you could even make gyp (R=2) work for seismic lateral loads of a relatively heavy concrete slab in moderate to high seismic areas?

 

[vandede427]

If I were on the front end of this and it were my own design, I wouldn't even consider it. However, it's not my design and I'm acting as a 3rd party to determine if what was planned on being built is allowed by code and is adequate to resist the loads.

The walls are built and have yet to be sheathed, the floor joists and decking are in place, and the slab has yet to be poured.

Northern Alabama isn't that much of a seismic region. The slab's not that thick (3" total) but you add the partitions and 25% of the storage, and now it's got some weight to it. I believe a layer of gyp on each side of the walls works (just barely, there are a lot of long walls) by the numbers but am still not sure it's allowed by IBC.

Section 2211 in IBC 2003 only gives one rated wall type for gyp on metal studs and that's for Wind. It doesn't give any rated wall type for gyp on metal studs for Seismic. Compare that to Section 2306 that gives 20+ different rated wall types for gyp on wood studs for both Wind and Seismic.