Cold-formed steel is one of the most widely used framing materials because of its ability to provide strength and stability in a number of conditions. A well-designed framing system can accommodate forces imposed on the structure by gravity, wind uplift and seismic activity. A key element of this design is the system’s ability to account for vertical movement of structural elements like floor systems and roof systems by allowing them to deflect downwards or upwards without imposing axial loads to the wall stud members or to the gypsum wall board (or other wall substrates).
Wall framing often bears on the top of the slab of one floor level and frames to the underside of the floor or member(s) above. This is called infill framing or slab-to-slab framing. Where this occurs, a deflection joint (or gap) is required if the wall framing needs to account for the compression or extension movement of the structure.