Boundary Post and Sheathing at T-Intersection

[msdmoney]

I'm looking at the detailing for an interior wood shear wall at a t-intersection with the exterior wall. The typical detail is the California framed intersection but that doesn't allow the sheathing to continue through. I'd like to bury my boundary post in the exterior wall and then continue that to below since the interior shear wall has a plan offset at the floor below. Is the common detail to have the interior wall sheathing break the plane of the exterior wall to connect to the boundary post (the code defines the wall width as the sheathing width)? Or should I stop the sheathing at the inside of the exterior wall? Is it common to consider the length of the shear wall all the way to the post even if the sheathing stops short of the outside most end of the boundary post.

 

[KootK]

Firstly, my wife is as SE who does gobs of wood. She says that she'S run sheathing into perpendicular walls a few times and it wasn't a big deal.

Secondly, I feel that your shear wall length is the distance between chords regardless of where the sheathing actually ends.

Lastly, my personal preference would be to stop the sheathing, and the interior stud wall, at the inside face of the exterior wall. I feel that this arrangement is more constructible, especially for panelized systems. To do this, and use the member within the exterior wall as your chord element, you'll have to:

1) fasten the sheathing to the last interior wall stud to transfer the diaphragm shear to that stud.

2) fasten the last interior wall stud to the intended chord member (in the exterior wall) for the same force as in #1.


I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.

 

[msdmoney]

Thanks for the reply, I've more done gobs of steel and concrete rather than wood so it helps to get some extra perspective.

My inclination is to do what you suggested, to me it would be akin to the break in the panel joints as long as the interconnection between the last post and the boundary member is adequate to transfer the chord force axial through shear. I guess I got a little tripped up by the definition of the shear wall width being the extents of the sheathing in the pure sense. But good to have the option to run the sheathing through if need be, that just gets messier with the break in the wall top plate (that could be detailed out with strapping I'm sure).

 

[KootK]

to me it would be akin to the break in the panel joints

Yeah, that's a solid analogy.

I guess I got a little tripped up by the definition of the shear wall width being the extents of the sheathing in the pure sense.

If we were talking about a 20' wall that was 15' sheathing and 5' solid studs nailed together, we'd probably need to take a step back and reconsider. At the scale of what your contemplating, however, I see no cause for concern.


I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.