This report was developed by the University of Missouri-Rolla for the Steel Framing Alliance and the Prescriptive Methods Subcommittee of the AISI Committee on Framing Standards. The primary objective of this project was to create the documentation necessary to enable the expansion of the AISI Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing – Prescriptive Method for One and Two Family Dwellings for gable end walls.

Cold-formed steel is gradually gaining acceptance in the residential construction sector. This is due in large part to the development of specifications and guidelines which aid in the design process. One such publication, the Prescriptive Method, is particularly attractive for residential projects, since it allows standard one and two story buildings to be designed without the aid of a design professional. One significant omission in the current Prescriptive Method is the design of gable end wall studs. As requested by the AISI Committee on Framing Standards (COFS), this report presents the tables and details necessary to incorporate gable end wall design into future editions of the Prescriptive Method. This report also serves as a commentary on these design aids, explaining the design methodologies and assumptions used in their creation. This study and report was limited to developing the necessary information to incorporate gable end walls in the Prescriptive Method and does not address design issues not presently incorporated in the Prescriptive Method. Also, where a design solution currently exists in the Prescriptive Method such design solution is not repeated herein.

Three primary gable end construction methods are explored: balloon framing, gable end truss framing, and cathedral ceiling framing. To resist wind forces, the balloon and gable end wall methods are provided with an out-of-plane bracing option using horizontal ceiling diaphragms. Additional design considerations including bottom track attachment to floors or foundations and requirements for openings in gable end walls are also addressed. Example calculations are included to support each of the design aids presented.