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Designation: C 955 – 09
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Standard Specification for

Load-Bearing (Transverse and Axial) Steel Studs, Runners
(Tracks), and Bracing or Bridging for Screw Application of
Gypsum Panel Products and Metal Plaster Bases1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 955; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope* ing Materials and Systems

1.1 This specification covers steel studs, runners (tracks), C 954 Specification for Steel Drill Screws for the Applica-
and bracing or bridging (with a base metal thickness range of tion of Gypsum Panel Products or Metal Plaster Bases to
not less than 0.0329 in. (0.836 mm)) for screw application of Steel Studs from 0.033 in. (0.84 mm) to 0.112 in. (2.84
gypsum panel products and metal plaster bases in load-bearing mm) in Thickness
(transverse and axial) construction assemblies. Steel of lesser 2.2 AISI Standard: 3
thickness shall be permitted in additional engineered products. Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded Members
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical AISI Code of Standard Practice for Cold-Formed Steel
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only Structural Framing Committee on Framing Standards—
and are not considered standard. 2006 Edition
1.3 The following precautionary caveat pertains only to the 3. Terminology
test method portion, Section 8, of this specification: This
standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, 3.1 Definitions: Definitions shall be in accordance with
if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user Terminology C 11.
of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health 3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limita- 3.2.1 members, n—studs, runners, tracks, bracing, bridging,
tions prior to use. accessories or other items manufactured in accordance with
this standard.
2. Referenced Documents 3.2.2 structural member, n—a member in a steel framed
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 system in which the loading exceeds any of the following
A 653/A 653M Specification for Steel Sheet, Zinc-Coated conditions: a transverse load of 20 lbf/ft (290 N/m) of member
(Galvanized) or Zinc-Iron Alloy-Coated (Galvannealed) length, or an axial load, exclusive of sheathing, of 200 lbf (890
by the Hot-Dip Process N) per member.
A 792/A 792M Specification for Steel Sheet, 55 %
4. Materials and Manufacture
Aluminum-Zinc Alloy-Coated by the Hot-Dip Process
A 875/A 875M Specification for Steel Sheet, Zinc-5 % 4.1 Members shall be manufactured from steel meeting the
Aluminum Alloy-Coated by the Hot-Dip Process requirements of Specification A 1003/A 1003M.
A 1003/A 1003M Specification for Steel Sheet, Carbon, 4.2 The minimum steel thickness (base steel) shall be not
Metallic- and Nonmetallic-Coated for Cold-Formed Fram- less than 0.0329 in. (0.84 mm).
ing Members 4.3 Individual measurements before the application of pro-
C 11 Terminology Relating to Gypsum and Related Build- tective coating shall be not less than 95 % of the specified
design thickness.
4.4 Members shall have a protective coating in accordance
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C11 on
with Table 1, CP 60 minimum.
Gypsum and Related Building Materials and Systems and is the direct responsibility 4.5 Edges of members shall be manufactured to minimize
of Subcommittee C11.02 on Specifications and Test Methods for Accessories and burrs and sharp edges.
Related Products. 4.6 Factory punch-outs, when provided, shall be located
Current edition approved May 1, 2009. Published May 2009. Originally
approved in 1981. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as C 955 – 08a. along the centerline of the webs of members and shall have
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
3
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), 1140 Connecticut
the ASTM website. Ave., NW, Suite 705, Washington, DC 20036, http://www.steel.org.

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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TABLE 1 Coating Designations

Minimum Coating Requirements
Coating Coating
Zinc-CoatedA Zinc IronB 55 % Al-ZincC Zinc-5 %D
Classification Designator
2 2 2 2 2 2
oz/ft (g/m ) oz/ft (g/m ) oz/ft (g/m ) oz/ft2 (g/m2)
Metallic Coated CP 60 G 60 (Z 180) A 60 (ZF 180) AZ 50 (AZM 150) GF 30 (ZGF 90)
CP 90 G 90 (Z 275) Not Applicable AZ 50 (AZM 150) GF 45 (ZGF 135)
Painted Metallic PM The metallic coated substrate shall meet the requirements of metallic coated. In addition, the paint film shall
have a minimum thickness of 0.5 mil per side (primer plus topcoat) with a minimum primer thickness of 0.1 mil
per side.E
A
Zinc-coated steel sheet as described in Specification A 653/A 653M.
B
Zinc-iron alloy-coated steel sheet as described in Specification A 653/A 653M.
C
55 % Aluminum-zinc alloy-coated steel sheet as described in Specification A 792/A 792M.
D
Zinc-5 % aluminum alloy-coated steel sheet as described in Specification A 875/A 875M.
E
In accordance with the requirements of Specification A 1003/A 1003M.

center-to-center spacing of not less than 24 in. (610 mm). Web 6.5 Members shall be manufactured within the limits as
punch-outs maximum width shall be the lesser of 0.5 times the shown in Table 2 and Fig. 2.
member depth, d, or 21⁄2 in. (64 mm). Web punch-out length 6.6 Bracing and bridging shall have configuration and steel
shall not exceed 4 1⁄2 in. (114 mm). Minimum distance between thickness to provide secondary support for the studs in accor-
the end of the member and the near edge of the web punch-out dance with the AISI Specification for the Design of Cold-
shall be 10 in. (254 mm). The size of the factory punch-outs Formed Steel Structural Members.
shall not exceed the size used in design and the center-to-center
spacing shall not be less than that used in design. 7. Workmanship, Finish, and Appearance
4.7 The properties and strength of members shall be com- 7.1 The steel members shall be free of defects that interfere
puted in accordance with the AISI Specification for the Design with the purpose for which they are intended.
of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members.
8. Penetration Test
5. Performance Requirements 8.1 Significance and Use—This test method provides a
5.1 When tested in accordance with Section 8, members procedure for evaluating the member’s ability to pull the head
shall be capable of pulling the head of the screw below the of a screw below the surface of the gypsum panel product. It
surface of the gypsum panel product without spin out (see Fig. shall be used to determine compliance with this specification.
1). The degree of performance of this test method with service
performance has not been determined.
6. Dimensions and Permissible Variations 8.2 Apparatus shall satisfy the following:
6.1 Data for calculating design performance shall be sup- 8.2.1 Electric Drill capable of 2500 r/min (free spindle
plied by the manufacturer. speed), supplied with a screw driving bit to fit the screw used
6.2 The width of the surface to which the sheathing board is in the test.
attached shall be not less than 11⁄4 in. (32 mm).
6.3 Runners (track) shall be formed in a U-shaped configu- TABLE 2 Manufacturing Tolerances
ration, having a depth compatible with that of the studs of the Dimension A
Item Checked
Structural Studs, Structural Track,
same nominal size. in. (mm) in. (mm)
6.4 Minimum height of runner (track) flanges shall be 3⁄4 in. A length + 3⁄32 (2.38) + 1⁄2 (12.7)
− 3⁄32 (2.38) − 1⁄4 (6.35)
(19 mm). BB web width + 1⁄32 (0.79) + 1⁄32 (0.79)
− 1⁄32 (0.79) + 1⁄8 (3.18)
C flare + 1⁄16 (1.59) + 0 (0)
overbend − 1⁄16 (1.59) − 3⁄32 (2.38)
D hole center + 1⁄16 (1.59) NA
width − 1⁄16 (1.59)
E hole center + 1⁄4 (6.35) NA
length − 1⁄4 (6.35)
F crown + 1⁄16 (1.59) + 1⁄16 (1.59)
− 1⁄16 (1.59) − 1⁄16 (1.59)
GC camber 1⁄8 (3.18) max 1⁄32 per ft (0.79)

per 10 ft
12 ⁄ max (12.7)
HC bow 18 ⁄ (3.18) max ⁄
1 32 per ft (0.79)
per 10 ft
12⁄ max (12.7)
I twist ⁄
1 32 per ft (0.79) ⁄
1 32 per ft (0.79)
1⁄2 max (12.7) 1⁄2 max (12.7)

A
All measurements shall be taken not less than 1 ft (305 mm) from the end.
B
Outside dimension for stud; inside for track.
C 1
⁄8 in. max per 10 ft represents L/960 maximum for overall camber and bow.
Thus a 20 ft long member would have 1⁄4 in. permissible maximum; a 5 ft long
FIG. 1 Studs member would have 1⁄16 in. permissible maximum.

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FIG. 2 Manufacturing Tolerances

8.3 Materials shall satisfy the following: success specified in the procedure.
8.3.1 Gypsum Board, Type X, 5⁄8 in. (16 mm) thick.
8.3.2 Screws—Specification C 954, 1 in. (25.4 mm) long. 9. Inspection
8.4 Sampling—One member shall be selected from each 9.1 Inspection of the members shall be agreed upon between
bundle or package but not more than ten from any one the purchaser and the producer or supplier as part of the
shipment for testing. purchase agreement.
8.5 Specimen Preparation:
8.5.1 Each member to be tested shall be cut into test 10. Rejection
specimens not less than 18 in. (460 mm) long. 10.1 When specified in the purchase agreement, members
8.5.2 For each test, one piece of gypsum board, 6-in. that fail to conform to the requirements of this specification
(152-mm) square, shall be cut not less than 12 in. (305 mm) shall be rejected. Rejection shall be reported to the producer or
from the edge or end of the wallboard. supplier promptly and in writing. The notice of rejection shall
8.5.3 For each test, four pieces of kraft paper, 2-in. (51-mm) contain a statement documenting how the member has failed to
square shall be cut. conform to the requirements of this specification and the
8.6 Number of Tests and Retests: purchase agreement.
8.6.1 Five specimens of members shall be tested.
8.6.2 If more than one test specimen fails to meet the 11. Certification
requirements, two more test specimens shall be chosen for 11.1 When specified in the purchase agreement, a produc-
retesting. er’s or supplier’s report shall be furnished at the time of
8.7 Report—Report shall indicate all specimens meeting the shipment certifying that the product is in compliance with this
requirements of this specification if the screw penetrated the specification.
steel and the screw did not spin out; or shall indicate all
specimens failing if the screw did not penetrate the steel, or the 12. Marking and Identification
screw spun out. 12.1 Groups of like members shall be marked with a label,
8.8 Precision and Bias—No statement is made about either or a tag attached thereto. Marking shall include the rollformer’s
the precision or bias of this test method since the result merely identification (name, logo, or initials), length, quantity, and
states whether or not there is conformance to the criteria for

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rollformer’s member designator including member depth, TABLE 3 Color Codes for Members
flange size, and minimum steel thickness in mils or inches Minimum Base Metal Minimum Decimal Equivalent,
Color
exclusive of protective coating. Thickness, mils in. (mm)
12.2 In addition to the marking referenced in 12.1, indi- White 33 0.0329 (0.836)
vidual members shall have a legible label, stencil, or emboss- Yellow 43 0.0428 (1.087)
Green 54 0.0538 (1.367)
ment, at a maximum distance of 96 in. (2440 mm) on center, on
Orange 68 0.0677 (1.720)
the member, with the following minimum information: Red 97 0.0966 (2.454)
12.2.1 The rollformer’s identification (that is, name, logo, or Blue 118 0.1180 (2.997)
initials).
12.2.2 The minimum steel thickness, in mils or inches, 13. Protection
exclusive of protective coatings.
13.1 Material shall be protected during shipment as re-
12.2.3 The minimum yield strength in kip per square inch quired. When specified in the purchase order, the members
(megapascals). shall be packaged in accordance with the purchaser’s instruc-
12.2.4 The minimum protective coating shall be indicated tions.
with the appropriate coating designator in accordance with 13.2 Material shall be received and stored in accordance
Table 1. with AISI COSP, paragraph F3.
12.3 Where color-coding of members or bundles of like
members is employed, the standard color-coding in Table 3 14. Keywords
shall be used. 14.1 runners; screws; section properties; studs; thickness

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee C11 has identified the location of selected changes to this specification since the last issue,
C 955 – 08a, that may impact the use of this specification. (Approved May 1, 2009)

(1) Revised camber and bow tolerances in Table 2. (2) Added new Footnote C in Table 2.

Committee C11 has identified the location of selected changes to this specification since the last issue,
C 955 – 08, that may impact the use of this specification. (Approved September 1, 2008)

(1) Deleted CP40 coatings, Painted coatings, and Footnote F (2) Deleted ISO 9223 from Referenced Documents.
from Table 1.

Committee C11 has identified the location of selected changes to this specification since the last issue,
C 955 – 07, that may impact the use of this specification. (Approved March 1, 2008)

(1) Added metric equivalents in Table 1.

Committee C11 has identified the location of selected changes to this specification since the last issue,
C 955 – 06, that may impact the use of this specification. (Approved November 1, 2007)

(1) Revised Section 13.

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