SynC · Editorial revision
Steel Deck
Revision9
EditedOct 2, 2026
StatusCurrent
Contents
- 1Scope
- 1.1Work Covered by This Standard
- 1.2Work Governed by Companion Standards
- 2Referenced Standards
- 3Submittals
- 3.1Action Submittals
- 3.2Informational Submittals
- 3.3Closeout Submittals
- 4Quality Assurance
- 4.1Deck Manufacturer Qualification
- 4.2Installer Qualification
- 4.3Welding of Deck Under AWS D1.3
- 4.4Special Inspection of Deck
- 5Deck Types and Profiles
- 5.1Deck Types in Scope
- 5.2Profile, Depth, and Gauge by Area
- 5.3Acoustical Roof Deck
- 6Sheet Steel and Finish
- 6.1Sheet Steel
- 6.2Floor Deck Finish
- 6.3Roof Deck Finish
- 6.4Service Exposure
- 7Gauge and Section Properties
- 7.1Design Thickness
- 7.2Span Condition
- 8Diaphragm Design
- 8.1Diaphragm Design Responsibility
- 8.2Lateral System Coordination
- 9Attachment to Supports
- 9.1Support Fastener Type
- 9.2Fastener Placement at Supports
- 9.3Arc Spot and Arc Seam Welds
- 9.4Powder-Actuated Fasteners
- 9.5Self-Drilling Screws
- 10Side-Lap Fastening
- 10.1Side-Lap Fastener Type
- 10.2Side-Lap Spacing and Engagement
- 11Composite Floor Deck Slabs
- 11.1Composite Action and the Slab
- 11.2Shoring and Construction Loads
- 11.3Concrete Placement Loads on the Deck
- 11.4Shear Studs Welded Through the Deck
- 12Roof Deck
- 12.1Roofing Substrate
- 12.2Wind Uplift
- 12.3Sumps and Drains
- 13Openings and Penetrations
- 13.1Openings Cut Without Added Reinforcement
- 13.2Reinforced and Framed Openings
- 13.3Cutting and Coating Repair
- 14Accessories
- 14.1Accessories Furnished With the Deck
- 14.2Pour Stops
- 14.3Closures
- 15Installation
- 15.1Bearing and Laps
- 15.2Placement and Securing
- 15.3Construction Loads on Installed Deck
- 15.4Attachments to the Deck by Other Trades
- 15.5Fire-Resistance-Rated Assemblies
- 16Field Inspection
- 16.1Verification Before Concrete or Roofing
- 16.2Fastener Inspection
- 16.3Nonconforming Deck Work
- 17Delivery, Storage, and Handling
- 17.1Delivery and Site Storage
- 17.2Damaged Panels
- 18Warranty
- 18.1Correction Period
- 18.2Warranty Exclusions
View changes in this revision Revision history
Current revision. This is editorial revision 9, the current text of this standard. Read it on the standard's page.
Remade for neutrality: every choice explained, project facts as parameters, scope boundaries linked both ways
1 Scope
1.1 Work Covered by This Standard
NOTE This standard governs the cold-formed steel deck that forms the floors and roofs of a steel-framed building: what sheet it is rolled from and how that sheet is coated, which profile and gauge go where, how the deck is fastened to its supports and to itself, how it works as a diaphragm and as the form and tensile element of a composite slab, how it is cut, closed, and repaired, and how the installed deck is verified before concrete or roofing covers it. (1.1.1)
NOTE Steel deck is bought by profile, depth, gauge, finish, and length, but it carries load only through its attachment. The same panel fastened two different ways has two different diaphragm capacities, two different uplift resistances, and two different composite behaviors, so this standard treats the fastening as part of the product rather than as a field detail. (1.1.2)
1.1.3 Steel deck shall be designed, fabricated, and installed in accordance with ANSI/SDI C for composite floor deck, ANSI/SDI NC for non-composite floor deck, ANSI/SDI RD for roof deck, and the trade practice of the SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck.
1.1.4 Steel deck shall comply with the cold-formed steel deck provisions of IBC Chapter 22 as adopted in Adopted Building CodeAdopted Building CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-building-code.
NOTE This standard governs how the deck is procured, attached, and verified; the contract documents define what deck goes where. (1.1.5)
1.1.6 Where this standard and the structural drawings differ, the more stringent requirement shall govern until the Engineer of Record resolves the difference in writing.
NOTE Steel deck placed on a metal building frame, where the deck is not part of the manufacturer's package, is governed by this standard. (1.1.7)
1.2 Work Governed by Companion Standards
NOTE The following are governed elsewhere and are outside this standard: (1.2.1)
- the hot-rolled members the deck bears on, the headed shear stud connectors, their diameter, layout, welding, and acceptance, and hot-rolled frames at deck openings, which are governed by Structural Steel FramingStructural Steel FramingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/structural-steel-framing
- the connections between hot-rolled members, which are governed by Structural Steel ConnectionsStructural Steel ConnectionsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/structural-steel-connections
- open-web steel joists and joist girders, including the bridging and end anchorage that stabilize them before the deck arrives, which are governed by Steel JoistsSteel JoistsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/steel-joists
- cold-formed steel studs, joists, rafters, and trusses, which are governed by Cold Formed Metal FramingCold-Formed Metal FramingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/cold-formed-metal-framing
- the concrete slab on the deck, its mixture, strength, placement, consolidation, curing, and finishing, which are governed by Cast In Place ConcreteCast-in-Place ConcreteResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/cast-in-place-concrete and Concrete Curing And FinishingConcrete Curing and FinishingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-curing-and-finishing
- the reinforcement within the slab and the bar supports that hold it, which are governed by Concrete ReinforcementConcrete ReinforcementResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-reinforcement and Concrete AccessoriesConcrete Accessories and EmbedsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-accessories
- the design, erection, and removal of shoring beneath the deck, which are governed by Concrete FormworkConcrete Formwork and AccessoriesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-formwork
- applied fireproofing on the underside of the deck, its thickness, and its bond verification, which are governed by FireproofingApplied FireproofingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fireproofing
- the listed fire-resistance-rated assemblies of which the deck is a component, which are governed by Fire Rated Wall And Floor AssembliesFire-Resistance-Rated AssembliesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fire-rated-wall-and-floor-assemblies
- the roofing membrane, insulation, cover board, vapor retarder, and their attachment to the deck, which are governed by Membrane RoofingMembrane RoofingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/membrane-roofing
- sheet metal flashing, copings, and roof edge metal above the deck, which are governed by Sheet Metal Flashing And TrimSheet Metal Flashing and TrimResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/sheet-metal-flashing-and-trim and Roof Specialties And CopingsRoof Specialties and CopingsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/roof-specialties-and-copings
- procedure and welder qualification for welds on hot-rolled members, which are governed by Welding RequirementsWelding RequirementsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/welding-requirements
- the administration of the special inspection program, which is governed by Special Inspections And TestingSpecial Inspections and Structural TestingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/special-inspections-and-testing
- hangers and supports suspended from the deck after it is installed, which are governed by Hangers And SupportsHangers and Supports for Mechanical Piping and EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hangers-and-supports
NOTE Deck-to-support welds and side-lap welds are made under D1.3, the welding code for thin-gauge steel, and are excluded from the program that Welding RequirementsWelding RequirementsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/welding-requirements establishes; their procedures, welder qualification, and acceptance are governed by this standard. (1.2.2)
NOTE Deck furnished and installed as part of a manufacturer's pre-engineered metal building is governed by Metal Building SystemsMetal Building SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/metal-building-systems. (1.2.3)
2 Referenced Standards
2.1 Materials, fabrication, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
2.2 Where the contract documents, the Authority Having Jurisdiction, or two referenced standards impose conflicting requirements, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
| Standard | Title |
|---|---|
| ANSI/SDI C | Standard for Composite Steel Floor Deck-Slabs |
| ANSI/SDI NC | Standard for Non-Composite Steel Floor Deck |
| ANSI/SDI RD | Standard for Steel Roof Deck |
| ANSI/SDI QA/QC | Standard for Quality Control and Quality Assurance for Installation of Steel Deck |
| SDI MOC | Manual of Construction with Steel Deck |
| SDI DDM | Diaphragm Design Manual |
| AISI S100 | North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members |
| AISI S310 | North American Standard for the Design of Profiled Steel Diaphragm Panels |
| ANSI/AISC 360 | Specification for Structural Steel Buildings (Chapter I, Composite Members) |
| ANSI/AISC 341 | Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings |
| AWS D1.3/D1.3M | Structural Welding Code - Sheet Steel |
| AWS D1.1/D1.1M | Structural Welding Code - Steel |
| AWS QC1 | Standard for AWS Certification of Welding Inspectors |
| ASTM A653/A653M | Steel Sheet, Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) or Zinc-Iron Alloy-Coated (Galvannealed) by the Hot-Dip Process |
| ASTM A792/A792M | Steel Sheet, 55% Aluminum-Zinc Alloy-Coated by the Hot-Dip Process |
| ASTM A1008/A1008M | Steel, Sheet, Cold-Rolled, Carbon, Structural, High-Strength Low-Alloy, High-Strength Low-Alloy with Improved Formability, Solution Hardened, and Bake Hardenable |
| ASTM A924/A924M | General Requirements for Steel Sheet, Metallic-Coated by the Hot-Dip Process |
| ASTM A780/A780M | Repair of Damaged and Uncoated Areas of Hot-Dip Galvanized Coatings |
| ASTM A370 | Standard Test Methods and Definitions for Mechanical Testing of Steel Products |
| ASTM C1513 | Steel Tapping Screws for Cold-Formed Steel Framing Connections |
| ASTM E119 | Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials |
| UL 263 | Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials |
| UL 1256 | Fire Test of Roof Deck Constructions |
| UL Fire Resistance Directory | Listed fire-resistance-rated floor-ceiling and roof-ceiling assemblies |
| FM 4451 | Approval Standard for Profiled Steel Panels for Use as Decking in Class 1 Insulated Roof Construction |
| FM Global Data Sheet 1-29 | Roof Deck Securement and Above-Deck Roof Components |
| ICC-ES AC70 | Acceptance Criteria for Fasteners Power-Driven into Concrete, Steel, and Masonry Elements |
| ASCE/SEI 7 | Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures |
| IBC | International Building Code (Chapter 16, Structural Design; Chapter 17, Special Inspections and Tests; Chapter 22, Steel) |
| OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart R | Safety Standards for Steel Erection |
| ANSI A10.3 | Safety Requirements for Powder-Actuated Fastening Systems |
3 Submittals
3.1 Action Submittals
3.1.1 The deck supplier and the Contractor shall submit the following to the Engineer of Record before deck is released for fabrication:
- Erection drawings, called the deck placement plan, showing for every deck area the profile, the manufacturer's designation, depth, gauge, finish, span direction, panel lengths, end and side lap conditions, bearing at each support, the support and side-lap fastener type, pattern, and spacing by zone, every opening with its reinforcement, and every accessory with its location and attachment
- Product data for each deck profile, including section properties computed under AISI S100, the yield strength on which they are based, the uniform load tables for single, double, and triple spans, the maximum unshored clear span for composite and form deck, and the diaphragm capacity tables where proprietary tables are relied on
- Diaphragm design calculations sealed by the deck supplier's specialty engineer, where the diaphragm design is delegated under the datasheet
- Evaluation reports and installation instructions for powder-actuated fasteners, screws, and proprietary side-lap fasteners, covering the deck thickness and support thickness combinations on the project
- Product data for weld washers where the deck thickness requires them
- Product data for pour stops, closures, sump pans, cover plates, and other accessories
- Evidence that each deck designation used in a listed fire-resistance-rated assembly is a designation the listing names
Action Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Deck placement plan
☑ Product data with section properties and load tables
☐ Delegated diaphragm design calculations
☑ Fastener evaluation reports and installation instructions
☐ Weld washer product data
☑ Accessory product data
☐ Fire-resistance listing evidence for the deck designation
NOTE The deck placement plan is where the structural drawings become orderable panels, and it is the document on which a missing closure, an unframed opening, or a fastener pattern that cannot be executed around a column surfaces while it is still a drafting change. It does not reproduce the structural drawings and does not supersede them. (3.1.2)
3.1.3 Fabrication shall not begin on any deck area until the submittals covering it have been reviewed and returned.
3.1.4 The Contractor shall allow ten working days for each review cycle, measured from receipt of a complete submittal.
3.1.5 The Contractor shall not substitute a deck profile, gauge, finish, or fastener for the one shown without the Engineer of Record's written approval.
NOTE A substitute that matches the uniform load capacity can still change the diaphragm capacity, the fire-resistance listing, the stud geometry at composite beams, and the withdrawal resistance of the roofing fasteners, so equivalence in one table is not equivalence in the building. (3.1.6)
3.2 Informational Submittals
3.2.1 The deck supplier shall submit the following before or with the first shipment of deck:
- Certified mill test reports or certificates of conformance for the sheet steel, traceable by coil or heat, stating the ASTM specification, yield strength, tensile strength, elongation, and coating designation
- Welding procedure specifications under AWS D1.3 for arc spot welds, arc seam welds, and side-lap welds
- Welder qualification records under AWS D1.3 for each welder who will attach deck
- Training records for each powder-actuated tool operator
- Documentation of Steel Deck Institute membership, or of the quality program under which the deck is produced
Informational Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ Mill test reports or certificates for the sheet steel
☑ AWS D1.3 welding procedure specifications
☑ AWS D1.3 welder qualification records
☑ Powder-actuated tool operator training records
☐ SDI membership or quality program documentation
3.3 Closeout Submittals
3.3.1 At substantial completion the Contractor shall submit the following:
- An as-built deck placement plan recording every field change, every field-cut opening, and the reinforcement added at each
- Field inspection reports for support fastening, side-lap fastening, and the verification performed before concrete placement, organized by deck area
- A record of coating repair, stating the material used and the areas treated
- A certificate of compliance from the deck installer
Closeout Submittals Requiredcheckbox
☑ As-built deck placement plan
☑ Field inspection reports by deck area
☐ Coating repair record
☑ Certificate of compliance from the deck installer
4 Quality Assurance
4.1 Deck Manufacturer Qualification
4.1.1 The deck manufacturer shall meet the qualification indicated in the datasheet.
Deck Manufacturer Qualificationradio
● Steel Deck Institute member manufacturer
○ Manufacturer accepted by the Engineer of Record on demonstration of AISI-based load tables and an audited quality program
NOTE Steel Deck Institute membership obliges a manufacturer to publish section properties and load tables computed under AISI S100 and diaphragm values under AISI S310, which is what lets the Engineer of Record design to a catalog rather than to a test report; a manufacturer outside that framework is accepted on the strength of its own documentation, which is an engineering judgment about that manufacturer. (4.1.2)
4.1.3 Published section properties, uniform load tables, and diaphragm tables shall be computed under AISI S100 and AISI S310, or established by testing under those standards.
4.1.4 Load tables not traceable to AISI S100 or AISI S310 shall not be used for design.
4.1.5 Where a manufacturer outside the Steel Deck Institute is proposed, the party proposing it shall bear the cost of the Engineer of Record's review.
4.2 Installer Qualification
4.2.1 The deck installer shall have at least the experience indicated in the datasheet installing steel floor and roof deck on work comparable in scope to this project.
Minimum Installer Experience with Steel Deckrange
years
23510
4.2.2 Where the parties disagree whether an installer's experience is comparable in scope to the work of this project, the Engineer of Record shall make the initial determination.
NOTE Deck installation is a fastening trade: the panel arrives finished, and nearly every defect that reaches an inspector is a weld that did not fuse, a pin driven into a flange too thin to hold it, a side lap left open, or a pattern thinned out across a bay. Experience with the specific fastening systems on the project matters more than years with steel generally. (4.2.3)
4.3 Welding of Deck Under AWS D1.3
4.3.1 Arc spot welds, arc seam welds, and side-lap welds attaching deck shall be made under welding procedure specifications prequalified or qualified under AWS D1.3.
4.3.2 Welders attaching deck shall be qualified under AWS D1.3 for the sheet thickness range, the weld type, and the position in which they will weld.
NOTE Qualification under AWS D1.1 alone does not qualify a welder for deck attachment, because sheet steel welding is governed by burn-through rather than by fusion, and the arc spot weld's capacity depends on a visible diameter and a fused perimeter that AWS D1.1 procedures do not control. (4.3.3)
4.3.4 Welder qualification shall be current at the time the production weld is made.
4.3.5 Welds attaching support angles, opening frames, and other hot-rolled members to the frame shall be made under D1.1 within the welding program established in Welding RequirementsWelding RequirementsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/welding-requirements.
4.3.6 Welding inspection of deck attachment shall be performed by an AWS Certified Welding Inspector qualified under AWS QC1, or by an inspector whose equivalent qualification the Engineer of Record has accepted in writing.
4.3.7 The welding inspector shall be familiar with the AWS D1.3 acceptance criteria for arc spot and arc seam welds before inspecting deck attachment.
4.4 Special Inspection of Deck
4.4.1 Special inspection of steel deck shall be performed as Adopted Building CodeAdopted Building CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-building-code requires under IBC Chapter 17 and ANSI/SDI QA/QC, under the program administered in accordance with Special Inspections And TestingSpecial Inspections and Structural TestingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/special-inspections-and-testing.
4.4.2 The Statement of Special Inspections shall designate each deck inspection task as continuous or periodic.
4.4.3 Special inspection of deck work shall cover at least the items indicated in the datasheet.
Special Inspection Scope for Deck Workcheckbox
☑ Deck profile, gauge, and finish verified against the placement plan
☑ Support fastener type, pattern, and spacing verified
☑ Side-lap fastener type and spacing verified
☑ Welds visually inspected under AWS D1.3
☑ Mechanical fasteners inspected for seating and listing
☐ Attachment at collectors, chords, and perimeter members verified
☐ Opening reinforcement verified
4.4.4 The inspection agency shall have no business, financial, or organizational relationship with the deck supplier or the deck installer.
NOTE The panel is the smaller part of the engineering decision. A diaphragm capacity is computed from a specific fastener in a specific pattern at a specific spacing, and a floor that looks finished can be missing half of what the calculation assumed, which is why deck inspection is about counting and not about appearance. (4.4.5)
5 Deck Types and Profiles
5.1 Deck Types in Scope
5.1.1 The deck types used on the project shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Deck Types in Scopecheckbox
☐ Composite floor deck
☐ Non-composite form deck
☐ Roof deck
☐ Acoustical roof deck
NOTE Composite floor deck is a permanent form that becomes the tensile reinforcement of the slab cast on it, bonding to the concrete through embossments rolled into its webs or flanges; it is designed under ANSI/SDI C and the composite slab provisions of ANSI/AISC 360 Chapter I. (5.1.2)
NOTE Non-composite form deck is a permanent form only: it carries the wet concrete and the construction loads, and the hardened slab is designed as a reinforced concrete slab that gets no strength from the deck; it is designed under ANSI/SDI NC. (5.1.3)
NOTE Roof deck carries the roofing assembly, the superimposed roof loads, and the net uplift, and on most steel-framed roofs it is also the diaphragm; it is designed under ANSI/SDI RD. (5.1.4)
NOTE Acoustical roof deck is roof deck with perforated webs or flanges and a sound-absorbing insert in the rib, used where the underside of the roof is the finished ceiling of a space that needs sound absorption. (5.1.5)
5.2 Profile, Depth, and Gauge by Area
5.2.1 Deck profile, depth, gauge, span direction, panel layout, and the support and side-lap fastener pattern and spacing for each deck area shall be as indicated on the structural framing plans and deck attachment schedule.
5.2.2 Where the structural drawings identify a profile by an SDI classification rather than by a manufacturer's designation, the deck supplier shall propose the specific product on the placement plan.
NOTE Roof deck profiles are classified by rib geometry: 1-1/2 in. deep narrow-rib, intermediate-rib, and wide-rib profiles, 3 in. deep profiles, and 4-1/2 in. to 7-1/2 in. deep long-span profiles; the wide-rib 1-1/2 in. profile dominates current production because its wide top flange carries roofing fasteners and insulation board, while the deeper profiles buy span at the cost of a narrower flat for roofing attachment. (5.2.3)
NOTE Composite floor deck is produced in 1-1/2 in., 2 in., and 3 in. depths, with the 2 in. and 3 in. profiles on a 12 in. rib pitch and the 1-1/2 in. profile commonly on a 6 in. pitch; the 2 in. profile covers the span range of most framed bays, the 1-1/2 in. profile is reached for where floor depth is tight, and the 3 in. profile extends the span or reduces the concrete volume on long bays. (5.2.4)
NOTE Non-composite form deck is produced from 9/16 in. to 3 in. deep and in lighter gauges than composite deck, because it is designed only for the construction condition; the shallowest profiles are the ones most likely to need weld washers at their support welds. (5.2.5)
5.2.6 Where composite beams or girders carry the deck, the deck profile shall satisfy the rib depth, rib width, and slab thickness limits of ANSI/AISC 360 Chapter I for the stud diameter and slab shown on the structural drawings.
5.2.7 Where CJ-series composite joists carry the deck, the deck profile, gauge, and rib orientation shall be coordinated with the composite joist design under Steel JoistsSteel JoistsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/steel-joists.
NOTE Composite action between the slab and a steel beam is transferred through studs welded in the deck ribs, so the rib width, the rib depth, and the stud's projection above the deck are design inputs; a deck profile that differs from the one the beam design assumed changes the beam's capacity even when the slab itself is unaffected. (5.2.8)
5.3 Acoustical Roof Deck
5.3.1 Requirements in this article apply where acoustical roof deck is selected in the datasheet field for the deck types in scope.
5.3.2 The perforation pattern, the insert material, and the noise reduction coefficient required for acoustical deck shall be as indicated on the roof deck schedule.
5.3.3 Section properties and load tables for acoustical deck shall be those published for the perforated section, not for the solid profile.
NOTE Perforating the webs or flanges removes material from the section, and a manufacturer publishes separate, lower section properties for the perforated profile; the solid-profile tables overstate it. (5.3.4)
5.3.5 Sound-absorbing inserts shall be furnished by the deck supplier, sized for the rib, and protected from water from delivery until the roof is closed.
5.3.6 Where acoustical deck participates in the diaphragm, the diaphragm capacity used in design shall be that established for the perforated profile.
6 Sheet Steel and Finish
6.1 Sheet Steel
6.1.1 Deck shall be formed from sheet steel conforming to ASTM A653 for zinc-coated and zinc-iron alloy-coated sheet, ASTM A792 for 55% aluminum-zinc alloy-coated sheet, or ASTM A1008 for uncoated sheet that will be shop primed, as the finish selected in the datasheet requires.
6.1.2 Metallic-coated sheet shall meet the general requirements of ASTM A924.
6.1.3 The minimum yield strength of the sheet steel shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum Sheet Steel Yield Strengthrange
ksi
33405080
6.1.4 Where no yield strength is selected in the datasheet, the yield strength on which the manufacturer's published load tables are based shall govern, and the manufacturer shall state it in the product data.
NOTE Structural-quality sheet is produced at 33 ksi, 40 ksi, 50 ksi, and 80 ksi minimum yield; the load table, not the grade, is what the Engineer of Record designs to, and most manufacturers publish composite deck at 50 ksi and roof deck at 33 ksi or higher. An 80 ksi sheet is designed under AISI S100 at a reduced yield strength because its elongation is low, so the extra grade buys less capacity than the number suggests. (6.1.5)
6.1.6 Sheet steel shall be reported by coil or heat in the certified mill test reports.
6.1.7 The uncoated base steel thickness delivered shall be not less than 95 percent of the design thickness, as AISI S100 requires.
6.2 Floor Deck Finish
6.2.1 The finish of composite floor deck and non-composite form deck shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Floor Deck Finishselect
Hot-dip galvanized G60 (ASTM A653)
Hot-dip galvanized G90 (ASTM A653)
Galvannealed A60 (ASTM A653)
55% aluminum-zinc alloy-coated AZ50 (ASTM A792)
Shop primer over G60 galvanized sheet
Shop primer over uncoated sheet (ASTM A1008)
NOTE G60 is the coating most composite and form deck is produced in and is what the fire-resistance listings and fireproofing bond tests for deck are run on; G90 carries half again as much zinc and is reached for where the underside of the deck stays exposed in a humid or chloride-bearing space; galvannealed sheet trades some corrosion resistance for a surface that holds paint; an aluminum-zinc coating outlasts zinc in an atmospheric exposure but is less forgiving at cut edges and welds; and a shop primer is a shipping coat that protects the sheet until it is covered and is selected where the deck will be painted or where a listing calls for it. (6.2.2)
6.3 Roof Deck Finish
6.3.1 The finish of roof deck shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Roof Deck Finishselect
Hot-dip galvanized G60 (ASTM A653)
Hot-dip galvanized G90 (ASTM A653)
Galvannealed A60 (ASTM A653)
55% aluminum-zinc alloy-coated AZ50 (ASTM A792)
Shop primer over G60 galvanized sheet
Shop primer over uncoated sheet (ASTM A1008)
NOTE Roof deck under a membrane and insulation is concealed from weather but not from the building's air, and a roof over a conditioned space sees condensation on its underside in cold weather; a galvanized finish rides that out where a bare primer does not. A primed finish is selected where the underside is exposed and will be painted, or where the regional market produces painted roof deck as its stock item and the deck will be covered by a ceiling. (6.3.2)
6.4 Service Exposure
6.4.1 Deck exposed to weather in service, deck over a parking level, natatorium, kitchen, wash-down area, or other space with sustained high humidity or chloride exposure, and deck within 1 mile of a salt water coast shall be galvanized G90 at minimum, unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
NOTE A shop primer is a short-term coating that keeps the sheet from rusting between the mill and the building, not a corrosion protection system, and primed deck left exposed to weather on site begins to rust at the laps within weeks. (6.4.2)
6.4.3 Where applied fireproofing will be applied to the underside of the deck, the finish selected shall be one for which the fireproofing material is listed, and the fireproofing applicator shall confirm compatibility under FireproofingApplied FireproofingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fireproofing before the deck is released for fabrication.
NOTE Most cementitious fireproofing is listed over galvanized deck and bonds poorly to a primed surface, so a primed finish chosen for a floor deck that will be fireproofed is the usual reason a deck bond test fails. (6.4.4)
6.4.5 Where the deck is a component of a listed fire-resistance-rated assembly, the finish shall be one the listing permits.
7 Gauge and Section Properties
7.1 Design Thickness
7.1.1 Section properties and load tables shall be computed on the design thickness of the uncoated base steel under AISI S100.
NOTE The gauge designations in common deck production correspond to the following design thicknesses: (7.1.2)
| Gauge | Design thickness |
|---|---|
| 22 | 0.0295 in. |
| 20 | 0.0358 in. |
| 18 | 0.0474 in. |
| 16 | 0.0598 in. |
7.1.3 A lighter gauge than the one shown shall not be furnished for any deck area.
NOTE Gauge controls the section capacity, the diaphragm capacity, the pull-over resistance at every fastener, and the withdrawal resistance of the roofing screws, so a lighter gauge is four substitutions at once. (7.1.4)
7.1.5 Each bundle shall be tagged with the manufacturer's designation, the gauge, and the finish, and the gauge shall be verifiable on the delivered sheet by measurement.
7.2 Span Condition
7.2.1 Deck shall be laid out so that each panel spans the number of supports the design assumed.
NOTE Load tables give a different capacity for a panel on two supports, on three, and on four or more, because continuity over interior supports redistributes moment; a layout that turns the three-span panel the design assumed into single spans at a column line hands the deck a capacity it does not have. (7.2.2)
7.2.3 Where panel lengths available from the manufacturer cannot achieve the span condition assumed, the deck supplier shall report the shortfall on the placement plan for the Engineer of Record's disposition.
8 Diaphragm Design
8.1 Diaphragm Design Responsibility
8.1.1 The diaphragm design shall be performed by the party indicated in the datasheet.
Diaphragm Design Responsibilityradio
● Engineer of Record designs the diaphragm and specifies the fastening
○ Delegated to the deck supplier's specialty engineer for the diaphragm shears stated by the Engineer of Record
NOTE The Engineer of Record keeps the diaphragm design on most projects because the diaphragm shears, the chord and collector forces, and the deck attachment are one calculation with the lateral system; delegation is reached for where a proprietary fastener system with its own tested tables is the basis, or where the deck supplier is selected early enough to design around its own products. (8.1.2)
8.1.3 Where the diaphragm design is delegated, the Engineer of Record shall state the diaphragm shear along each line, the deck profile and gauge, and the attachment required at collectors, chords, and perimeter members.
8.1.4 A delegated diaphragm design shall be sealed by an engineer licensed in the jurisdiction of the project and submitted for the Engineer of Record's review before deck is released for fabrication.
8.1.5 The diaphragm design shall be based on the source indicated in the datasheet.
Diaphragm Design Basisradio
● SDI Diaphragm Design Manual tabulated capacities
○ AISI S310 calculation
○ Manufacturer's tested capacities under a current evaluation report
○ Deck not relied on for diaphragm action
NOTE The SDI Diaphragm Design Manual tabulates capacities for generic profiles with welds, screws, and button punches, which covers the majority of designs; AISI S310 is the calculation behind those tables and is used where a configuration falls outside them; a proprietary fastener system has no entry in the generic tables, so its tested capacities under an evaluation report are the only basis for it; and a deck that is not relied on for diaphragm action still needs the minimum attachment the SDI standards require, but the fastener pattern is no longer a lateral design input. (8.1.6)
8.1.7 Where the deck is not relied on for diaphragm action, the lateral system that replaces it shall be identified on the structural drawings.
8.2 Lateral System Coordination
8.2.1 The diaphragm design shall address the seismic load effects of ASCE/SEI 7 Chapter 12 for Seismic Design CategorySeismic Design CategoryParameterEach project supplies its own value.seismic-design-category.
8.2.2 Deck attachment along collectors, chords, shear walls, and braced frame lines, where it differs from the field pattern, shall be as indicated on the lateral force resisting system plans.
8.2.3 Within a protected zone designated on the structural drawings, deck shall be attached only by arc spot welds, and powder-actuated fasteners and screws that penetrate the member flange shall not be used, in accordance with ANSI/AISC 341.
NOTE The protected zone is the length of a seismic member where plastic hinging is expected, and a fastener hole through its flange is a crack starter in the one place the design cannot tolerate one. (8.2.4)
8.2.5 The installed deck profile, gauge, support fastener, side-lap fastener, pattern, and spacing shall match the configuration the diaphragm design is based on without substitution.
9 Attachment to Supports
9.1 Support Fastener Type
9.1.1 Composite floor deck and non-composite form deck shall be attached to their supports with the fastener indicated in the datasheet.
Floor Deck Support Fastenerselect
Arc spot welds under AWS D1.3
Arc seam welds under AWS D1.3
Powder-actuated fasteners
Self-drilling screws
Per drawings — the deck attachment schedule (deferred by default)
9.1.2 Roof deck shall be attached to its supports with the fastener indicated in the datasheet.
Roof Deck Support Fastenerselect
Arc spot welds under AWS D1.3
Arc seam welds under AWS D1.3
Powder-actuated fasteners
Self-drilling screws
Per drawings — the deck attachment schedule (deferred by default)
NOTE The fastener type is an input to the diaphragm design and to the uplift design, so it is set by whoever performs those designs and reaches the field on the attachment schedule; the datasheet selection governs where the schedule is silent. (9.1.3)
NOTE An arc spot weld, the puddle weld, is the historical standard: it develops the most shear per fastener, it needs no fastener inventory, and it is what the generic diaphragm tables are built on, but it needs a qualified welder, a dry deck in firm contact with the flange, and a weld washer on the thinnest sheet, and it burns the coating at every location. An arc seam weld is a longer weld used where a single spot weld cannot develop the required shear. (9.1.4)
NOTE A powder-actuated fastener is driven through the deck into the flange by a tool operator rather than a welder, leaves the coating intact, and is unaffected by water on the deck, which is why it has displaced welding on much roof deck; its capacity is published per fastener per flange thickness in an evaluation report, and a flange thinner than the report covers is the common defect. (9.1.5)
NOTE A self-drilling screw develops less shear than a weld or a pin, so it is used in greater numbers, and it is reached for where the support is too thin for a pin, where welding is barred by the building's use or by a coating that has to stay continuous, and on cold-formed supports. (9.1.6)
9.2 Fastener Placement at Supports
9.2.1 Deck shall be fastened to every support it bears on, including perimeter members, members at openings, and the members at each end lap.
9.2.2 Fasteners at an end lap shall pass through both sheets into the support.
9.2.3 Support fasteners shall be placed at the spacing shown and in no case at a spacing greater than ANSI/SDI C, NC, or RD permits for the deck type.
NOTE The SDI pattern notation states the number of fasteners across a panel width at each support, so a 36/4 pattern places four fasteners across a 36 in. panel and a 36/7 pattern places one in every rib; the heavier pattern buys diaphragm capacity and uplift resistance with more fasteners and more labor. (9.2.4)
9.2.5 Where a support flange is too thin or too narrow to receive the fastener shown, the installer shall report the condition to the Engineer of Record before the deck is attached there.
9.3 Arc Spot and Arc Seam Welds
9.3.1 Arc spot welds shall have a visible diameter of not less than 5/8 in., or the larger diameter shown on the attachment schedule.
9.3.2 Arc seam welds shall have the length and width shown on the attachment schedule.
9.3.3 A weld washer shall be used at every arc spot weld where the deck design thickness is less than 0.028 in.
NOTE A weld washer is a flat steel washer the arc is struck through so the thinnest sheet is fused to the support instead of burned away around the weld; the 0.028 in. threshold is the SDI boundary below which a bare puddle weld cannot be made reliably. (9.3.4)
9.3.5 The deck shall be in firm contact with the support at every weld location, with no gap between the sheet and the flange.
9.3.6 Deck shall not be welded through standing water, ice, mud, or a coating or debris that prevents fusion.
9.3.7 Welds shall be visually inspected after cooling under the AWS D1.3 acceptance criteria for fused perimeter, visible diameter, cracks, porosity at the surface, and burn-through.
9.3.8 A weld that does not meet the acceptance criteria shall be supplemented by an acceptable weld placed adjacent to it, and the original shall be left in place unless the Engineer of Record directs its removal.
NOTE Grinding out a rejected puddle weld removes more sheet than the weld did, so the repair for a bad weld is a good weld beside it. (9.3.9)
9.4 Powder-Actuated Fasteners
9.4.1 Powder-actuated fasteners shall be listed in a current evaluation report under ICC-ES AC70 for the deck thickness and the support flange thickness at each location they are used.
9.4.2 The installer shall verify the actual flange thickness of each support before fasteners are driven into it.
9.4.3 Fasteners shall not be driven into a support thinner than the minimum the evaluation report covers.
9.4.4 Each tool operator shall be trained in accordance with ANSI A10.3 and the fastener manufacturer's program and shall carry evidence of that training on site.
9.4.5 The powder charge and tool setting shall drive the fastener so that its head bears on the deck without a gap and without a depression that deforms the sheet.
NOTE An underdriven fastener leaves a gap under the head and carries shear through the gap; an overdriven one crushes the sheet and reduces the bearing that resists pull-over, and both read as a pin in the right place at a glance. (9.4.6)
9.4.7 An underdriven, overdriven, or misplaced fastener shall be supplemented by a fastener placed adjacent to it, with the original left in place.
9.5 Self-Drilling Screws
9.5.1 Screws attaching deck to supports shall conform to ASTM C1513, with a drill point rated for the combined thickness of the deck and the support.
9.5.2 Screws attaching deck to supports shall be not smaller than #12, and side-lap screws not smaller than #10, unless the diaphragm design is based on a different size.
9.5.3 Screws shall be driven perpendicular to the deck until the head seats on the sheet, without stripping the threads in the support.
9.5.4 Screw guns shall have depth or torque control set for the screw and the material.
9.5.5 A stripped screw shall be removed and replaced by a screw of the next larger diameter in the same hole, or by a screw placed adjacent to it.
10 Side-Lap Fastening
10.1 Side-Lap Fastener Type
10.1.1 Side laps shall be fastened with the fastener indicated in the datasheet.
Side-Lap Fastener Typeselect
Button punch
Self-drilling screws
Top arc seam side-lap welds under AWS D1.3
Arc seam welds through the lap under AWS D1.3
Proprietary mechanical side-lap fasteners under an evaluation report
Per drawings — the deck attachment schedule (deferred by default)
NOTE A side lap joins two panels between supports, and it is what makes a floor of separate strips act as one plate; side-lap fastening governs the diaphragm capacity on most roof decks, because the panels slip along their laps long before the support fasteners fail. (10.1.2)
NOTE A button punch is a crimp made with a hand tool that interlocks the nesting edges of a standing-seam side lap; it costs no material and develops modest shear, which suits form deck and lightly loaded roof deck. A screw is the most common diaphragm side-lap fastener because its capacity is tabulated and each one can be counted. A top arc seam weld is made on the standing seam of a roof deck lap without burning through the flat, and an arc seam weld through a nested lap is reached for on the highest-shear diaphragms. A proprietary mechanical fastener is used under its own tested tables and only where those tables are the diaphragm basis. (10.1.3)
10.2 Side-Lap Spacing and Engagement
10.2.1 Side-lap fasteners shall be placed at the spacing shown and in no case at a spacing greater than ANSI/SDI C, NC, or RD permits for the deck type and span.
10.2.2 The side lap shall be fully nested or fully engaged before it is fastened, with the upper edge seated on the lower edge without a visible gap.
10.2.3 A side lap that has been crushed, spread, or twisted shall be straightened before it is fastened, or the panel shall be replaced.
10.2.4 Side-lap screws and welds shall pass through both sheets of the lap.
10.2.5 On composite and form deck, the side laps shall be closed tightly enough that concrete paste does not leak through them during placement.
NOTE Tighter side-lap spacing is typically shown along collectors, around large openings, and at the perimeter, because that is where the diaphragm shear concentrates; a spacing opened up in the field anywhere in those zones is a capacity reduction where it matters most. (10.2.6)
11 Composite Floor Deck Slabs
11.1 Composite Action and the Slab
11.1.1 Requirements in this section apply where composite floor deck is selected in the datasheet field for the deck types in scope, and the shoring and concrete placement articles apply to non-composite form deck as well.
11.1.2 The slab on the deck, its thickness, compressive strength, placement, consolidation, and curing are governed by Cast In Place ConcreteCast-in-Place ConcreteResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/cast-in-place-concrete and Concrete Curing And FinishingConcrete Curing and FinishingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-curing-and-finishing, and the reinforcement within it by Concrete ReinforcementConcrete ReinforcementResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-reinforcement.
11.1.3 The slab thickness above the top of the deck shall be not less than ANSI/AISC 360 Chapter I requires for a composite slab, and not less than the listed fire-resistance-rated assembly requires where the slab is part of one.
NOTE Composite action is developed by the embossments in the deck engaging the concrete, so the deck surface at the time of placement is part of the structural system: mud, oil, ice, or a release agent on the deck is a bond breaker in a member designed for bond. (11.1.4)
11.1.5 The deck shall be clean of mud, oil, ice, loose rust, and debris, and free of any coating not shown on the placement plan, at the time concrete is placed.
11.2 Shoring and Construction Loads
11.2.1 Composite and form deck shall be placed under the construction condition indicated in the datasheet.
Deck Construction Conditionradio
● Unshored, with the deck carrying the wet concrete and construction loads
○ Shored in the bays the Engineer of Record designates
11.2.2 Unshored deck shall be designed under ANSI/SDI C or ANSI/SDI NC to carry the wet concrete and the construction loads those standards define for the span condition shown, within the deflection limit those standards set.
NOTE The deck is an unshored form on nearly every project because shoring under a steel-framed floor costs more than a heavier gauge or a shorter span, and because an unshored floor frees the levels below for other trades; shoring is reached for where a bay exceeds the longest unshored span any available gauge offers, or where the slab is thick enough that the wet weight governs the whole deck selection. (11.2.3)
11.2.4 Where the clear span between supports exceeds the maximum unshored span published for the deck profile and gauge, shoring shall be provided at the locations indicated on the structural framing plans.
11.2.5 The design, erection, and removal of shoring, and the slab strength at which it is removed, are governed by Concrete FormworkConcrete Formwork and AccessoriesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/concrete-formwork.
11.2.6 The deck supplier shall identify every bay that requires shoring on the placement plan.
11.2.7 Concrete shall be placed to the basis indicated in the datasheet.
Composite Slab Placement Basisradio
● Level top surface, with additional concrete for deck deflection
○ Constant slab thickness following the deflected deck
NOTE A deck deflects under the wet concrete, and the two bases differ in what fills the sag: a level top surface takes extra concrete, which the deck and the frame carry as dead load, while a constant thickness follows the deflected profile and leaves a floor that dips at midspan; a level surface is the basis where the floor will receive a flatness-controlled finish, and a constant thickness is reached for where the added dead load governs the framing. (11.2.8)
11.2.9 Where a level top surface is the basis, the additional concrete weight from deck deflection shall be included in the deck design and in the design of the supporting members.
11.3 Concrete Placement Loads on the Deck
11.3.1 Concrete shall not be discharged in piles on the deck, and placement shall proceed from the supports toward midspan so that no area of deck carries more than the design construction load.
11.3.2 Concrete buggies and pumps shall operate on runways that distribute wheel loads across several panels, and runways shall be placed over supports where practicable.
11.3.3 Concentrated loads from pump lines, hoppers, and equipment shall not exceed the published construction load capacity of the deck at the location they bear.
11.3.4 Internal vibrators shall not be rested on or dragged across the deck.
11.3.5 A qualified individual designated by the Contractor shall monitor the deck during placement for deflection, lap separation, and leakage, and shall stop placement at any location showing distress until the cause is corrected.
11.4 Shear Studs Welded Through the Deck
11.4.1 Headed shear studs, their diameter, layout, welding procedure, and acceptance are furnished under Structural Steel FramingStructural Steel FramingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/structural-steel-framing; this article governs the deck condition and sequence at stud locations.
11.4.2 The deck shall be fastened to its supports before studs are welded through it.
11.4.3 Studs shall be welded through a single thickness of deck, and the deck shall be laid out so that no end lap falls over a beam that receives studs, unless the stud welding procedure has been qualified for the lap condition.
NOTE A stud welded through two sheets at a lap fuses through twice the thickness the procedure was qualified for, and a lap that falls on a stud beam is a layout problem on the placement plan, not a welding problem in the field. (11.4.4)
11.4.5 At each stud location the deck shall bear tight on the beam flange, and standing water shall be removed from the deck before stud welding begins.
11.4.6 Coating burned away by stud welding shall be repaired under the coating repair article of this standard.
12 Roof Deck
12.1 Roofing Substrate
12.1.1 Requirements in this section apply where roof deck or acoustical roof deck is selected in the datasheet field for the deck types in scope.
12.1.2 Roof deck shall be installed in accordance with ANSI/SDI RD.
12.1.3 The roofing membrane, insulation, cover board, vapor retarder, and their attachment to the deck are governed by Membrane RoofingMembrane RoofingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/membrane-roofing, and the deck type, profile, and gauge installed shall be those the roofing assembly's uplift listing and fire classification name.
12.1.4 The deck installer shall complete attachment, closures, opening reinforcement, and coating repair in each roof area before that area is offered for the deck acceptance Membrane RoofingMembrane RoofingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/membrane-roofing requires.
NOTE The roofing fasteners draw their withdrawal resistance from the deck top flange, so the roofing assembly is listed for a deck type and gauge, and a wide-rib profile is the common roof deck in part because its flat is wide enough to receive the roofing fastener plates. (12.1.5)
12.2 Wind Uplift
12.2.1 Roof deck attachment shall resist the net uplift pressures of ASCE/SEI 7 Chapter 30 for each roof zone.
NOTE Uplift is resisted by the support fasteners in pull-out from the flange and by the sheet in pull-over around the fastener head, and the pressures are highest at corners and edges, which is why the attachment schedule typically shows a denser pattern in those zones than in the field. (12.2.2)
12.2.3 The zoned attachment shown shall be executed without substitution, and the zone boundaries shall be laid out on the deck before fastening begins.
12.2.4 Roof deck shall be FM Approved as indicated in the datasheet.
FM Approval of Roof Deckradio
○ FM Approved profile under FM 4451 required
● FM Approval not required
NOTE FM Approval is a requirement of the Owner's property insurer rather than of the building code, and it brings the FM Global data sheets on deck securement into the contract; where the insurer requires it, the deck profile and its attachment are governed by FM 4451 and FM Global Data Sheet 1-29 wherever those are more stringent than the structural design. (12.2.5)
12.2.6 Where FM Approval is required, the roof deck profile shall be listed in the current FM Approval Guide, and deck securement shall comply with FM Global Data Sheet 1-29.
12.3 Sumps and Drains
12.3.1 Sump pan locations shall be as indicated on the roof framing plans and plumbing drawings.
12.3.2 Sump pans shall be furnished by the deck supplier, of not less than 14 gauge sheet in the roof deck finish, formed to the drain shown.
12.3.3 Sump pans shall be fastened to the deck around their perimeter and to the supports they bear on, so that diaphragm continuity is maintained across the sump.
NOTE A sump pan is a recessed plate that replaces the deck flat at a drain so the drain bowl sits below the insulation; an unattached pan is a hole in the diaphragm and a loose plate under the membrane. (12.3.4)
13 Openings and Penetrations
13.1 Openings Cut Without Added Reinforcement
13.1.1 Openings not exceeding the dimension indicated in the datasheet in any direction may be cut through the deck without added reinforcement, provided the opening does not interrupt a support fastener line or a side-lap fastener.
Maximum Opening Dimension Without Added Reinforcementrange
in.
4681012
NOTE The SDI standards treat a hole of about 6 in. as one the deck carries around without help; the dimension is set lower where the deck is lightly gauged or heavily loaded and higher where the Engineer of Record has checked the profile for it. (13.1.2)
13.1.3 Openings within that limit shall be cut by the trade requiring them, cleanly, with the cut edge repaired under the coating repair article.
13.1.4 Openings in composite deck that are not shown on the placement plan shall be cut after the slab has reached its specified strength, unless the Engineer of Record approves cutting before concrete placement.
NOTE Cutting a hole in composite deck before the slab is placed leaves a form with a hole in it; cutting after the slab is cured removes a piece of a slab that is already carrying its load as a composite member, which the concrete around the hole is able to do. (13.1.5)
13.2 Reinforced and Framed Openings
13.2.1 Openings larger than the limit above shall be reinforced as indicated on the deck opening details.
13.2.2 Sheet steel reinforcement that attaches only to the deck, including plates, bent plates, and angles fastened to the sheet, shall be furnished by the deck supplier and shown on the placement plan.
13.2.3 Opening frames that attach to the primary framing are furnished under Structural Steel FramingStructural Steel FramingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/structural-steel-framing where the structural drawings show them, and their location shall be coordinated with the deck layout on the placement plan.
13.2.4 An opening larger than the limit shall not be cut until its reinforcement or frame is installed.
13.2.5 Deck around a reinforced opening shall be fastened to the reinforcement or frame at the spacing shown, so that the diaphragm shear path continues around the opening.
13.2.6 Where an opening is added after the deck is installed, the Contractor shall obtain the Engineer of Record's written direction for its reinforcement before cutting, and the party whose work required the opening shall bear the cost of that engineering and reinforcement.
13.3 Cutting and Coating Repair
13.3.1 Deck shall be cut with shears, saws, nibblers, or hole saws that leave a clean edge.
13.3.2 Where torch or plasma cutting is used, the cut edge shall be cleaned of slag and dross before coating repair.
13.3.3 Cut edges, burned coating at welds and studs, and coating damaged in handling or installation shall be repaired within seven days of the exposure that caused them and before the deck is concealed.
13.3.4 Repair of a galvanized or aluminum-zinc coating shall be performed under ASTM A780 with a zinc-rich coating.
13.3.5 Repair of a shop primer shall be performed with a primer compatible with the shop primer and with any finish or fireproofing to be applied over it.
NOTE White rust on galvanized deck, the loose white deposit that forms where water is held against the zinc without air, is wiped and dried where it is light; where it has gone to a dark or pitted surface the zinc beneath is gone and the area is repaired as damaged coating. (13.3.6)
13.3.7 Where the parties disagree whether a coating defect is light enough to clean rather than repair, the Engineer of Record shall make the initial determination.
14 Accessories
14.1 Accessories Furnished With the Deck
14.1.1 The deck supplier shall furnish the accessories indicated in the datasheet.
Deck Accessories Furnished by the Deck Suppliercheckbox
☑ Pour stops at slab edges
☑ Column closures
☑ Rib closures at deck ends
☐ End closures at walls and slab edges
☑ Sump pans
☐ Ridge and valley plates
☑ Cover plates at changes in deck direction and elevation
☐ Sheet steel opening reinforcement
14.1.2 Accessories shall be furnished in the same finish as the deck they serve.
14.1.3 Accessory gauge shall be not lighter than the gauge the SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck gives for the accessory and its span, and not lighter than the deck it attaches to.
14.1.4 Accessories shall be fastened to the deck and to the supports at not more than 12 in. on center, unless the placement plan shows closer fastening.
14.2 Pour Stops
NOTE A pour stop is a vertical sheet steel edge form at the slab edge that holds the wet concrete and projects past the edge member as far as the slab does. (14.2.1)
14.2.2 The pour stop height and overhang at each slab edge shall be as indicated on the slab edge details.
14.2.3 Pour stop gauge shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Pour Stop Gaugeselect
16 gauge
14 gauge
12 gauge
10 gauge
Derived — the slab thickness above the deck and the pour stop overhang, per the SDI Manual of Construction with Steel Deck pour stop table (by default)
14.2.4 Pour stops shall be fastened to the deck and to the edge member at not more than 12 in. on center, with the fastening shown on the placement plan.
14.2.5 Where the structural drawings show a bent plate or angle slab edge as part of the structural steel, that edge form is furnished under Structural Steel FramingStructural Steel FramingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/structural-steel-framing, and the deck supplier furnishes pour stops only where the drawings show them.
NOTE A pour stop sized for the slab depth but not the overhang bows outward under the wet concrete and leaves a slab edge that is out of line and thicker than designed, which is why the SDI table reads the gauge from both dimensions. (14.2.6)
14.3 Closures
14.3.1 Rib closures shall be installed in the open ribs of roof deck at deck ends and terminations over conditioned space, so that the ribs do not carry unconditioned air into the building.
14.3.2 Rib and end closures shall be installed at every edge where composite or form deck ends, so that concrete does not leak from the ribs during placement.
14.3.3 Column closures shall be installed at every column the deck passes, and the opening around the column shall be covered before the deck is left at the end of a shift.
14.3.4 Closures within a listed fire-resistance-rated assembly shall be the closures the listing names.
14.3.5 Closures at walls that form part of a smoke or fire barrier shall be coordinated with the head-of-wall joint system under Fire Rated Wall And Floor AssembliesFire-Resistance-Rated AssembliesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fire-rated-wall-and-floor-assemblies.
15 Installation
15.1 Bearing and Laps
15.1.1 Deck shall bear not less than 1-1/2 in. on each steel support, or the greater length ANSI/SDI requires for the deck type.
15.1.2 Bearing length on masonry and concrete supports shall be as indicated on the bearing details.
15.1.3 End laps of roof deck and non-composite form deck shall occur over a support and shall be not less than 2 in.
15.1.4 End joints of composite floor deck shall be butted over a support, unless the placement plan shows lapped joints, and the butt joint shall be closed as the manufacturer's installation instructions require.
NOTE Composite deck is normally butted rather than lapped because a lap stacks two embossed sheets at the beam that most often receives shear studs, and because the lap edge projects into the concrete where the slab is thinnest. (15.1.5)
15.1.6 Panels shall be placed with the side laps nesting in one direction across each deck area and with panel ends aligned along each support.
15.1.7 Deck shall be placed with the span direction and the panel layout shown, and a panel shall not be turned, shortened, or placed to a different span condition to fit a bay.
15.2 Placement and Securing
15.2.1 Deck shall be placed in accordance with the reviewed placement plan and OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart R.
15.2.2 Deck shall not be placed on framing that the erector has not released for loading under Structural Steel FramingStructural Steel FramingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/structural-steel-framing, or on joists whose bridging and end anchorage are not complete under Steel JoistsSteel JoistsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/steel-joists.
15.2.3 Deck bundles shall be landed only at the locations and on the members the erection plan identifies, within the limits Structural Steel FramingStructural Steel FramingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/structural-steel-framing and Steel JoistsSteel JoistsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/steel-joists set for landing bundles.
15.2.4 Each panel shall be laid tight to its neighbor and secured against displacement immediately upon placement.
15.2.5 Deck placed during a shift shall be fastened to its supports before the end of that shift, and no panel shall be left unattached overnight.
NOTE Loose deck is a sail, and a panel lifted by wind off a frame several stories up is the decking accident that OSHA's securing requirement exists to prevent. (15.2.6)
15.2.7 Openings in the deck, and the gaps between the deck and the columns it passes, shall be covered or guarded as soon as they are created and before the area is left.
15.2.8 Fall protection anchorage for decking operations is established under Fall Protection AnchorageRoof and Facade Fall Protection AnchorageResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fall-protection-anchorage.
15.2.9 Final attachment to the pattern shown shall be complete in each area before concrete, roofing materials, or stored materials are placed on it.
15.3 Construction Loads on Installed Deck
15.3.1 Construction loads placed on the deck shall not exceed the published construction load capacity of the deck profile, gauge, and span condition at the location they bear.
15.3.2 Stored materials, equipment, and scaffold bases on the deck shall be placed over or adjacent to supports and distributed across several panels.
15.3.3 Wheeled equipment shall not be operated on the deck except on runways or where the manufacturer's published wheel load capacity covers it.
15.3.4 Roof deck shall not be used to store materials beyond the roof design loads after the roofing is installed.
15.4 Attachments to the Deck by Other Trades
15.4.1 Hangers for ceilings, piping, ductwork, and equipment shall not be supported from the deck unless the deck profile has a published hanger load that covers them and the hanger attachment is shown on the contract documents.
15.4.2 Suspended loads that the deck is permitted to carry shall be attached in accordance with Hangers And SupportsHangers and Supports for Mechanical Piping and EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/hangers-and-supports.
15.4.3 Other trades shall not weld to, cut, or drive fasteners into the deck except as the contract documents show or the Engineer of Record approves in writing.
NOTE A deck flat is a thin sheet between ribs, and a hanger clip or a conduit strap fastened to it carries its load through that sheet rather than through the structure; deck profiles with a published hanger tab capacity are the exception, and the capacity is small. (15.4.4)
15.5 Fire-Resistance-Rated Assemblies
15.5.1 Required fire-resistance ratings and the listed assemblies that satisfy them shall be as indicated on the fire-resistance-rated assembly schedule.
15.5.2 Where the deck is a component of a listed assembly, the deck profile, depth, gauge, finish, and closures installed shall be those the listing names.
NOTE The rating belongs to the whole assembly, which includes the deck, the slab or roofing above it, the fireproofing or ceiling below it, and the framing, so a deck that carries the same load as the listed one does not carry the same rating. (15.5.3)
15.5.4 Substituting any deck component of a listed assembly shall not be done without either selecting a different listed assembly or obtaining a written engineering evaluation acceptable to the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
15.5.5 The assemblies themselves are specified under Fire Rated Wall And Floor AssembliesFire-Resistance-Rated AssembliesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fire-rated-wall-and-floor-assemblies, and the applied fireproofing under FireproofingApplied FireproofingResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/fireproofing.
16 Field Inspection
16.1 Verification Before Concrete or Roofing
16.1.1 Before concrete is placed on any deck area, and before roofing is installed on any roof deck area, the Contractor shall verify and record that the deck profile, gauge, and finish match the placement plan, that the support and side-lap fastening match the attachment schedule, that laps, bearing, closures, pour stops, and opening reinforcement are complete, and that cut edges and damaged coating are repaired.
16.1.2 For composite deck, the verification shall additionally record that the deck is clean of the bond breakers named in the composite action article.
16.1.3 The verification record for each area shall be available to the special inspector before concrete or roofing covers that area.
NOTE Deck is inspected before it is covered because nothing about it can be verified afterward: the fastener count under a slab or a membrane is the count on the record. (16.1.4)
16.2 Fastener Inspection
16.2.1 Special inspection of deck attachment shall be performed to the extent indicated in the datasheet.
Special Inspection Extent for Deck Attachmentradio
● Periodic sampling at each support condition and in each zone, under the Statement of Special Inspections
○ Continuous during attachment of every deck area
NOTE IBC Chapter 17 assigns periodic inspection to deck welding and mechanical fastening, and periodic sampling across every zone and support condition is the norm; continuous inspection is reached for on a diaphragm whose capacity is close to its demand, or where an installer's early work has shown a pattern of defects. (16.2.2)
16.2.3 Welds shall be inspected visually under AWS D1.3 for visible diameter or length, fused perimeter, cracks, surface porosity, and burn-through.
16.2.4 Powder-actuated fasteners and screws shall be inspected for seating, for the fastener listed in the evaluation report, for the correct count at each support, and for conformance to the pattern and spacing shown.
16.2.5 Where the parties disagree whether a fastener is properly seated, the Engineer of Record shall make the initial determination, and the Engineer of Record may require pull-out or shear testing of representative fasteners to resolve it.
16.2.6 The cost of testing ordered to resolve a dispute shall be borne by the Contractor where the fasteners fail, and by the Owner where they pass.
16.3 Nonconforming Deck Work
16.3.1 Deck work that does not conform to the contract documents, the reviewed placement plan, or the ANSI/SDI standards shall be documented as a nonconformance and reported in writing to the Engineer of Record, the Contractor, and the Owner.
16.3.2 Concrete shall not be placed, and roofing shall not be installed, over a documented nonconformance until the Engineer of Record has issued a written disposition.
16.3.3 Each disposition shall be one of the following: reject and correct; accept as-is supported by a written engineering evaluation; or accept with a stated compensating measure such as added fasteners or added reinforcement.
16.3.4 The cost of evaluating and correcting a nonconformance shall be borne by the party whose work produced it.
16.3.5 The cost of re-inspection following a rejection shall be borne by the party whose work was rejected.
17 Delivery, Storage, and Handling
17.1 Delivery and Site Storage
17.1.1 Deck shall be delivered in the manufacturer's bundles, each tagged with the manufacturer's designation, profile, gauge, finish, panel length, quantity, and the deck area it is for.
17.1.2 Site storage shall satisfy the requirements indicated in the datasheet.
Deck Storage Requirementscheckbox
☑ Store bundles on dunnage clear of the ground
☑ Slope bundles to drain
☑ Cover bundles with a ventilated waterproof cover
☐ Separate bundles from mud, vegetation, and chemicals
☑ Limit stack height to the manufacturer's published maximum
NOTE Water held between nested sheets in a bundle is the condition that produces white rust on galvanized deck, and a bundle under an unventilated tarp holds water as well as an uncovered one does; the cover keeps rain off and the ventilation lets the sheets dry. (17.1.3)
17.1.4 Bundles shall be lifted with slings and spreaders that do not crush the ribs or score the coating, and wire rope shall not bear directly on the sheet.
17.1.5 Bundles stored on the erected frame shall be placed at locations the erector has approved and shall not exceed the load the supporting members carry at that stage of erection.
17.2 Damaged Panels
17.2.1 Panels that arrive bent, crushed, kinked, with ribs out of profile, or with coating damage beyond the repair ASTM A780 permits shall be reported to the Engineer of Record before they are installed.
17.2.2 The Engineer of Record shall direct repair, acceptance, or replacement of a damaged panel in writing.
17.2.3 A panel with a crushed rib or a permanent set shall not be straightened and installed without the manufacturer's written direction.
NOTE The section properties of a cold-formed profile depend on the ribs holding their shape, and a crushed rib straightened in the field is a different section from the one in the load table. (17.2.4)
18 Warranty
18.1 Correction Period
18.1.1 The deck installer shall warrant the deck work for the period indicated in the datasheet, measured from the date of substantial completion.
Correction Period for Deck Workrange
years
1235
18.1.2 The warranty shall cover the deck furnished against defects in material and workmanship, and the installation against incorrect profile, gauge, or finish, missing or defective support and side-lap fasteners, incomplete closures and accessories, and coating damage not repaired.
18.1.3 Where a warranted defect is corrected, the corrected work shall carry a fresh correction period of the same length measured from the date of correction, or the remainder of the original period, whichever ends later.
18.1.4 The party performing a warranty correction shall bear the cost of removing and replacing other work that must be disturbed to reach the defect.
18.2 Warranty Exclusions
18.2.1 The warranty does not cover loading beyond the design loads stated in the contract documents.
18.2.2 The warranty does not cover openings cut, attachments made, or fasteners driven by other trades after the deck installer has completed and turned over the deck.
18.2.3 The warranty does not cover corrosion of deck in an environment more aggressive than the one the specified finish addresses.
18.2.4 The deck manufacturer's material warranty shall be assigned to the Owner and included in the closeout submittals.
18.2.5 Bonds and the form of the warranty documents are established under Warranties And BondsWarranties and BondsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/warranties-and-bonds.