Understanding Light Gauge Steel
Understanding Light Gauge Steel (LGS)
Light Gauge Steel (LGS) is a modern construction material made from cold-formed steel sheets, offering a lightweight yet robust alternative to traditional framing materials.
What is LGS?
LGS members are manufactured from thin steel sheets, typically galvanized for corrosion protection, cold-formed into shapes like C-sections, Z-sections, and tracks. This cold-forming increases steel strength, enabling efficient use of material.
Key Properties & Advantages
- High Strength-to-Weight Ratio: Lightweight yet strong, reducing foundation loads.
- Non-Combustible & Fire Resistant: Inherently fire-resistant, improving building safety.
- Dimensionally Stable: No shrinking, splitting, or warping due to moisture changes.
- Pest & Rot Resistant: Resistant to termites and fungal decay.
- Speed & Precision: Prefabricated, allowing for rapid and accurate assembly.
- Sustainability: Made from recycled content and fully recyclable.
LGS is increasingly used in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings for its efficiency and performance.
Light Gauge Steel Structural Members
LGS members come in various profiles, each designed for specific structural applications in walls, floors, and roofs. Click on a member type to learn more.
C-Studs & Tracks
Hat Channels
Z-Sections
LGS Joists
LGS Trusses
Select a Concrete Component Above
Click on any component card to view its detailed description and typical uses.
Light Gauge Steel Connection Methods
Connecting LGS members is typically done using mechanical fasteners, offering speed and flexibility during assembly.
Screws: The Primary Fastener
Self-drilling, self-tapping screws are the most common and efficient method for joining LGS members. They eliminate the need for pre-drilling and create a strong, reliable connection quickly.
- Types: Pan head, hex head, wafer head, bugle head.
- Advantages: Fast, easy to install, no special equipment, allows for easy modifications.
- Common Use: Stud-to-track connections, bridging, blocking, attaching sheathing.
Other Connection Methods
While screws dominate, other methods are used for specific applications or heavier loads in LGS construction.
- Bolts: Used for heavier connections, often in structural applications where higher shear or tension capacity is needed.
- Welding: Less common on site due to thinness of LGS, but used in shop fabrication for trusses or specific structural connections. Requires skilled labor.
- Crimping: A mechanical fastening method that deforms the connected members to create a joint without external fasteners. Used for non-structural connections.
Proper connection design is crucial for the overall stability and load transfer within an LGS structure.
LGS Fabrication & Erection Workflow
Building with Light Gauge Steel involves a streamlined process, from precise design and off-site fabrication to rapid on-site assembly.
Design & BIM
Roll-Forming & Fab
Panelization
Logistics & Erection
Sheathing & Finishes
Design Principles & Industry Standards
Designing with Light Gauge Steel (LGS) requires specialized knowledge of cold-formed steel behavior and adherence to specific industry standards to ensure structural integrity and performance.
Key Design Considerations
Engineers account for unique characteristics of LGS to create safe and efficient designs.
- Buckling: LGS members are thin-walled and susceptible to local, distortional, and global buckling modes.
- Connections: Design of screw, bolt, and weld connections is critical for load transfer.
- Corrosion Protection: Galvanization (zinc coating) is essential for durability and longevity.
- Diaphragm Action: Sheathing (gypsum, OSB, plywood) is vital for lateral load resistance.
- Thermal Bridging: Steel's conductivity requires careful insulation design to prevent heat loss/gain.
North American Standards & Resources
These are the primary authorities and documents guiding LGS design and construction.
AISI (American Iron and Steel Institute)
The AISI S100: North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members is the foundational standard for LGS design. It provides comprehensive provisions for strength, stability, and serviceability.
Referenced by the International Building Code (IBC) across North America.