This report was developed by Dr. Steven Fox for the General Provisions Subcommittee of the AISI Committee on Framing Standards. The objectives of this project were to gain a more thorough understanding of floor joist behavior when there is misalignment in the load path for the range of products and limitations of the AISI Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing - Prescriptive Method for One and Two Family Dwellings.

This project involved a total of 110 tests of various floor joist assemblies that were carried out to check and compare a wide range of variables. This study confirmed suspicions that offset loading limitations are essential due to the impact that “non-in-line” framing has on strength and serviceability of a steel floor system. The findings provided a basis for the AISI Committee
on Framing Standards to modify the AISI Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing - General Provisions to limit the amount of offset that would be allowed.