Wall sheathing lapping Rim Joist 1

[Berniedog]

I cannot find anything in the 2003 or 2006 IRC that requires the wall sheathing to lap the Rim (band) joist for a braced wall panel. Does the sheathing have to lap the rim joist for it to be considered a Braced wall panel?

 

[DaveAtkins]

I don't know what the Code says, but you must have a complete load path from diaphragm to foundation. If you don't lap the sheathing from the story below or the story above onto the rim board, you may lose continuity.

DaveAtkins

 

[teleBob]

A load path does exist from the wall sheathing to the sole plate through the floor sheathing and to the rim joist. I don't believe that prescriptive braced wall panels are required to lap the rim or connect to the foundation sill plate, although it certainly eliminates a lot of nailed connection transfers.

 

[msquared48]

Telebob is correct. Without the external lap splice of the plywood at the external face of the plywood, the transfer of the shear has to be done through nailing or steel hardware (Simpson LPT4's, and similar). The rim joist just finctions as the plywood shear wlwment in that case.

It is well to note though that if you have a shearwall with plywood on both sides, you have to transfer the inside wall shear by nails and fasteners - there is no option for this scenario.

Mike McCann
McCann Engineering

 

[ctcray]

The IRC does not prescribe or detail shear walls. A braced wall panel is not a shear wall. The only requirement is that the bottom plate is fastened per the prescriptive requirements, which i believe is (3) 16D common nails per 16" bay.

However, if the braced wall panel also serves as a path to resist uplift from the roof to the foundation, additional hardware or fasteners may be required.

 

[Berniedog]

Thank you all for your comments.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

While I agree with the above - if it was my house -

1. The foundation would have both VERTICAL and horizontal rebar - very few if any crakcing or settlement problems

2. The sheathing would definitely cover the rim board.

3. Reinforce the truss connections and assure roof plywood is well nailed.

This house would be good for about anything except a direct hit from a tornado...

Just my thoughts although none is required by code.

 

[msquared48]

The "braced wall panel" is merely a shear wall that meets the prescriptive elements of the code under sections 2308.9.3 or 2308.12.4.

Technically, the braced wall panel has been "pre-engineered" by the code. That's why we don't specifically design them.

Mike McCann
McCann Engineering