Wood Shearwall Concept

[RM87]

Hello all,

I was talking to a friend of mine and we were discussing possibilities about multi-story wood buildings and shearwall concepts. In summary, I was wondering if anyone has ever designed a shearwall with sheathing that travels further than the location of its chords ie. holdown locations? If so, do you take into consideration the additional sheathing to reduce your nailing? Let me know you reconcile the mechanics/statics versus just a normal segmented shearwall.

Thanks,
R

 

[jayrod12]

I feel as though if we're talking about a foot or two of wall beyond the chord member of a reasonable length wall then you could likely get the shorter wall to work if you sharpened your pencil. If you're talking like a 5 or 10 ft segment...then no you can't count on it.

 

[KootK]

I'm fine with using a shear wall narrower than the extent of the sheathing but I believe it a fundamental error to include the sheathing beyond your chords in your capacity. Doing so requires that extended sheathing to be able to resist in plane tension and compression which the conventional nailing and blocking (or lack of) patterns do not support.

You could make a go of it if:

1) you designed the nailing to support in plane sheathing T/C.
2) you designed the sheathing for in plane T/C including buckling.
3) you modified stiffness estimation procedures somehow to suit.

You'd basically end up with something analagous to a wide flange beam reinforced with a vertical plate top and bottom. Really though, who would want to go to all this trouble.

I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.