SHEAR WALL / DIAPHRAGM QUESTION

[PRESIDENTJ]

I have a light-guage framed one-story building that has about a 17' eave height and a screw-down metal roof. The walls are type I shear walls with wood structural panels attached to the metal wall studs. One of the perimeter wall lengths is about 60' long but the total sum of the structural panel sections is only about 17'. (It has a lot of windows)

For the aspect ratio, based on my research, it shall be less than 3:1 for the diaphragm. i.e. the perpendicular distance to the next shear wall line should be less than or equal to 3x the length of the shear wall in question.

So, my question is: do I take the 60' length or do I take the 17' length for the aspect ratio proportioning? Makes a big difference in the allowable width of my building.

 

[XR250]

I would think as long as you have a proper collector connecting all the shearwalls together, 60 ft. sounds right.

 

[DaveAtkins]

As far as the diaphragm is concerned, the shear wall is 60' long. Once the lateral load is in the shear wall, you need to get the load to the individual segments somehow.