Timber Rocking Walls

[Luceid]

Some cool video is starting to float around the recent shake table tests at UCSD related to timber rocking wall systems (vertically post tensioned wood panels). I don't know much about rocking wall systems, other than the general idea of how it works. At a high level, what is the benefit of designing a rocking wall system compared to a regular wood shear wall system?

My guess is it's something to do with the energy dissipation in a rocking wall system not having to cause as much structural damage (nails tearing/plywood failure in regular shear walls), so it creates a more "resilient" system post-earthquake, but I'm curious to hear from those who know more about it. Always worth tossing a guess out there .

(If you have a free article:

https://www.enr.com/articles/56428-10-story-timber-rocking-frame-sails-through-seismic-shake-tests)

(Live cam of what the structures look like at bottom of page:

https://nheri.ucsd.edu/)

(Some video footage of shaking

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.co...9/10-story-building-uc-san-diego-shake-table)

(Some more footage of shaking

https://www.google.com/search?q=tal...fpstate=ive&vld=cid:63aef650,vid:-ArWK0moOrU)

The test was subjected to the Northridge EQ and Chichi EQ.

 

[Luceid]

Oh, not to mention the "self righting" effect. Duh!