Lightweight Steel Framing Is A Common Con-struction method that includes the open-web girders and joists, the floor or roof decks that they support, and the structures that support them. The framing and deck assembly is designed to support itself and permanently attached equipment (dead load), plus the building contents, people, and wind and snow loads (live load) with a calculated amount of deflection. Lightweight steel framing is a system: All of the parts depend on the other parts for structural strength and integrity and on the connection of each component to the others (photo 1). For example, 1. A joist may depend on two girders for support. 2. The girders may each depend on two columns or walls for support. 3. The walls or columns depend on the girders to brace them against the wind and other lateral forces. 4. Each of these depends on the riveted, welded, or bolted connections to the others to hold it in place. 5. The roof or floor deck depends on the joist and girder assembly to hold it up. 6. The joist and girder assembly depends on the roof or floor deck and its welded or pinned connections to the joists to help hold it square. 7. Each girder or joist depends on the quality of its welds to hold its many parts together and to perform as designed by the engineer.
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