Investigation of Wood Shear Walls Subjected to Lateral Load

This paper summarizes results of 15 tests from the first phase of a study on lateral resistance of wood-frame shear walls without openings, constructed with traditional dimensional lumber and Oriented Strand Board panels (OSB). The next phases considered shear walls with strap ties, bracings, and uplift are presented in subsequent papers. Traditional shear wall construction across most of the United States includes wall studs spaced 40.5 cm (16 in) on center where the sheathing is attached with 6d, 50 mm × 2.85 mm (2 in × 0.113 in) smooth shank penny nails spaced at 150 mm/300 mm (6 in/12 in) at the edge and field, respectively. Likewise, the walls are commonly attached to the foundation with anchor bolts spaced 1.8 m (6 ft) on center. This study alternates the type, number, and spacing of these different connections, as well as the length of the wall to improve understanding of wood shear wall behavior due to lateral loads and to determine design methodologies which improve wood-frame construction performance. Overall results indicate that wall strength improved for each of the following modifications: doubling the base plate, decreasing anchor bolt spacing, increasing washer size, fastener type and spacing. Design value and deflection were determined based on SDPWS-2015 and compared to the shear capacity and ASCE 7 deflection limit.