Where walls are used as the lateral (wind and seismic) bracing for the overall building, bracing methods must be incorporated into or integrated with the selected wall assembly. These systems can vary widely and often must be designed by a design professional for code compliance. However, prescriptive methods for cold-formed steel light-frame construction are available and included in model building codes and associated reference standards.
For information related to bracing of walls with cold-formed steel frame construction and inclusion of foam plastic insulating sheathing, refer to:
- AISI S230-19, Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing – Prescriptive Method for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, Section E8 Wall Bracing
- AISI S240-20, North American Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Structural Framing, Section B5 Lateral Force-Resisting Systems
- AISI S400-20, North American Standard for Seismic Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Systems
- 2024 International Residential Code, Section R603 Cold-Formed Steel Wall Framing
- 2024 International Building Code, Section 2206 Cold-Formed Steel Light-Frame Construction
- FACTS Sheet: "Right-Sized" Wall Bracing & FPIS
For additional guidance, refer to our Structural Resources page.