This report was developed by the University of New Brunswick for the Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute, the Steel Framing Alliance and the Prescriptive Methods Subcommittee of the AISI Committee on Framing Standards. The objective of this project was experimental determination of the strength and stiffness of load bearing top track assemblies.

This project involved tests on 60 assemblies, including track and 2x4 wood on a 3-5/8 inch stud wall, standard track on 3-5/8 inch stud wall, track and 2x6 wood on 6-inch stud wall, standard track on 6-inch stud wall and deep leg track on 3-5/8 inch stud wall. Based on the rather limited structural capacities, it was concluded that it was not worth pursuing the development of a design methodology or including details and span-load tables in the AISI Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing – Prescriptive Method for One and Two Family Dwellings for the tested assemblies.