Economical ICF To Cold-Formed Steel Floor Connections

Authors: NAHB Research Center Inc.    

The use of insulating concrete forms (ICF) in combination with cold-formed steel (CFS) framing is relatively new to the U.S. homebuilding industry. Unfortunately, published information provides little guidance regarding "best practices". This problem was identified by Bruce Davis Homes during construction of a Partnership for the Advancement of Technology in Housing (PATH) demonstration project at Washington Square, LaPlata, Maryland. In considering the use of a CFS floor system with a side-bearing connection to ICF walls, it was found that existing construction guidelines did not address this connection detail in a manner applicable to or efficient for ICF and CFS materials. Therefore, two fastening methods were identified based on their potential to improve the constructability and economy of ICF wall to CFS floor connections. This study investigates and reports the performance of such connections using standard 5/8-inch diameter anchor bolts or Richmond F-32 anchors to transmit the floor load from a steel ledger track, through the ICF foam insulation, and into the concrete core of an ICF wall.

Publication Categories: Publications     Housing Production and Technology     Building Materials     Steel