Cold formed steel framing systems consist of galvanized constructional profiles shaped by cold forming process during production phase. This industrialized system developed more in North America. Due to the fact that, firms serving in cold formed steel framing system industry in Turkey use North America’ s specifications during design and production phase. Constructional system catalogues published by variety component producers show similar components in terms of material property, shape and dimensions. Because of potential of transition to open building in the field of low-rise residential in Turkey, studies are required through consisting of constructional component market.

Having been evaluated existing housing stock, quantitative and the qualitative housing projection through near future, demand is continuing for low-rise residentials and cold formed steel framing seems as an alternative to meet the trend of industry specific in Turkey. Having less dead load, perpetual flexibility, ease and rapid of factory production, the property of on-site erection and not limiting system design with existing local codes and standards in Turkey are the main advantages of cold formed steel framing.

Limitations are defined by North America’s specifications for galvanized profiles as constructional component. These limitations are used either in design or production phase of cold formed steel framing members in Turkey. Zinc coating thickness is defined as G60/Z180 for constructional component and 12,7 micron zinc coating shall be at one side of galvanized plate and also 180 gr/m2 total zinc coating weight has been defined for both side of the plate.

Load bearing capacity of galvanized plates is increased by cold forming process and converted to constructional members (component). Cold forming process increases yield strength of steel plate. C shape is commonly used as framing member and more durable members C+ (C plus), ∑ (sigma) and ∑+(sigma plus) are started to be used in cold formed steel framing industry. These type of members are being chosen because of higher load bearing capacity according to material weight. Yield strength of a galvanized steel plate used in cold forming process in order to obtain cold formed steel framing member shall be minimum 2320, 23 kgf/cm2 for the plate thickness of between 0,84 and 1,40 mm as specified in North America’ s specifications.

Cold formed steel framing members are coded according to British/American measurement system (SI) and equivalent to metric system has been defined so as to be used in Turkey. This code system shall be known during design and production phase. Both North America’s specifications with its measurement system and the preferences of Turkey’ s cold formed steel framing industry are being evaluated so as to determine local common convention starting with applicable member type. Five main member type are defined in North America’s specifications, so called as S,T,U,F,L. T and U members are same members that the only difference is using area. Cold formed steel framing industry in Turkey use four different member types as S,U,F,L. Among these members, load bearing members are S and U members. Since, these members re-defined with their form and category in this study as C, C+, ∑ (sigma or epsilon profile), ∑+ and U profiles. All these members determined after structural calculations can be find from firm’s catalogues. This definition will help both designers and producers.

Producer’ s of galvanized profiles for cold form steel framings produce similar components as quality and dimensions in Turkey with using North American’ s codes and specifications during production phase which is the difficult phase as organizational among the phases of design, factory production and on site erection. This shows that the requirement of a local common convention used by the Turkey’s cold formed steel framing industry. The aim of this study is; defining of applicable cold formed steel framing member, which can be used in Turkey, is tried with using North America’ s specifications and firm’s catalogues published by cold formed steel framing producers in Turkey.