I made a excel sheet a while ago that will give me accurate allowable loads but when loading conditions are more complicated (typically balcony connections) I like to verify with Enercalc and submit the report with the excel sheet for calc. packets.
With typical stud orientation you are correct if the wall is sheathed. Obviously your sheathing has to have the capacity to resist the buckling/bending forces. If you are being very precise the kL would be your fastener spacing but the other axis will almost always control so it can be assumed...
I have emailed their technical support team already and will update you when they respond. Also, the software doesn't apply Kf for weak axis buckling, only the strong axis, so even if they apply it "conservatively" for strong axis buckling, it is still incorrect.
This is my first year out of college so it's fair to say I am inexperienced [lol]. I think the majority of my confusion stemmed from Enercalc applying the Kf wrong. I have done these calculations before correctly because I never read the 15A definitions and, like I said in the OP, assumed the...
I agree with your analysis. However, The NDS defines the bracing directions as the following in reference to the Figure: "L1 is the distance between lateral supports that provide restraint perpendicular to the wide faces of the individual members" and "L2 is the distance between lateral supports...
The scenario you describe is for flatwise bending/buckling where, as I mentioned in the OP, I agree the plys would separate. However, the Kf factor is applied in edgewise bending/buckling when L2/d2 (resisting bending in the strong axis) is used as the slenderness ratio. Thus, unless I am...
I have a question regarding section 15.3 and 15.4 of the NDS. Refer to figure 15B shown below for bracing of built-up columns (for the purpose of this question I am using 3-2x6 as the built up column and strong/weak axis are orientated respectively). My initial thought when viewing the...