Partition wall loads

[emceditor]

I was asked to review partition walls for an equine clinic in process of being built. The walls are 2x4 and 2x6 at 16" o/c (SPF No. 2), 10'-4" heigh, unblocked. Originally the top of the walls were unbraced. The owner asked the contractor to provide bracing, which was installed (the bracing mostly ties walls to walls - very little tie-ins to exterior walls or roof framing). The owner feels the walls still shake too much - especially when the heavy metal frame doors are being shut. In the braced walls it is clear that the movement is due to the deflection of the jambs. So I working on a jamb reinforcement detail.

Is anyone aware of code requirements for door loads?

This being an equine (horse ) clinic - how much load will a horse exert on walls?

 

[bjb]

Is it possible to clip the tops of the walls to the roof/ceiling framing using clips such as Simpson STC clips? These should decrease the deflection of the walls while allowing vertical movement of the roof framing. I'm not aware of code requirements for door loads, but non-bearing interior walls should be designed for a lateral load of 5 psf according to the IBC.

 

[ERV]

emceditor,
It appears that these partition walls would have to carry the lateral loads of heavy doors. What is the weight of these doors? Do these walls extend to the roof?

 

[haynewp]

If the members have shakey connections, they will probably be pushed over by a horse. If you were to equate horse pressure on a wall to human pressure on a handrail, it would be around 1.34xhorse weight as a point load or 0.34xhorse weight as a distributed load.
But comparing people to horses is like apples to oranges. Or watermelons to pumpkins.

 

[emceditor]

Thanks Everyone for your feedback.

I will discuss this with the owner...

 

[dpa]

A horse can exert a lot of pressure on a wall especially if it gets scared and starts backing up. In addition, some horses kick when they are scared. I would have made the interior walls out of solid timber just like in a stall and then if the clinic desired, sheet rock over the top just for cosmetics. If a horse kicks a hole in a wall and someone is standing on the other side the consequences could be dire.