Is mechanical ducting allowed to pass thru shear wall? 2

[allanex50]

Our 4-story bdg. is provided with shear wall designed to resist lateral loads as earthquake. Our mechanical department wants to pass a pipe ducting about 800mm in diameter thru the shear wall. However, I did not allow to do it so. Is there any reference structural codes to prohibit the opening thru the shear wall?Does it not affect adversely the structural integrity of the wall?Please, if any expert can give me his opinion.Thanks a lot.

 

[JedClampett]

Shear walls are a basic element for any structure. There are ways to calculate the reduction in shear capacity for the shear wall due to an opening. But to do that, you need the original analysis. Otherwise, you'll need to recreate it, which is a massive job.
There's no code provision explicitly prohibiting openings in shear walls. But they do need to be accounted for.
I'd contact the original design firm. They might just OK it. Or they can look at their calculations and make a judgement.
I doubt the opening will be a problem. i'm sure there are windows and doors in the wall and one more opening won't make it fall down. But you are correct in slowing down the process.

 

[allanex50]

Jed,
I appreciate your remarks, but for further infos, the wall has no door nor window. It's part of partition wall of an office. It is connected to a column and free end to the other end. What makes me concern is, if mechanical ducting will pass thru that wall, does it likely to affect structural integrity to the whole building?

 

[msquared48]

It could. You would have to run the numbers as Jed said.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com

 

[hokie66]

The best answer you can get here is that it probably will be OK. But we can't analyze or assess it. If you are concerned, you will have to have a structural engineer do the assessment. Is it a fire wall? That might be a bigger problem.

 

[Ron]

Agree with above comments. hokie66 makes an excellent point about the fire resistance. Shear can be accommodated. Fire penetrations can be problematic.

 

[allanex50]

thanks ron & hockey,
In the section detail, it's quite clear that no opening is provided thru the wall, which means our structural engr does not consider the opening like mechanical ducts to cut thru the wall. Otherwise, it would affect to structural integrity of the building as a whole.