Chapter 10

10.1 Introduction

Shearwalls comprise the vertical elements in the lateral-force-resisting system (LFRS). They support the
diaphragm and transfer the lateral forces down into the foundation.

Wood diaphragms are often used in buildings with masonry or concrete shear- walls as well as buildings with
wood-frame shearwalls.

Many structures with wood-frame walls have a number of interior walls. This is especially true for residential
buildings. It is a common design practice to choose some portion of these walls to design as shearwalls
resisting lateral forces. Generally, the longer walls and the walls that are stacked from story to story are
selected first, and other walls are added if necessary to meet code requirements.

10.2 Basic Shearwall Action

Essentially a shearwall cantilevers from the foundation and is subjected to one or more lateral forces. As the
name implies, the basic form of resistance is that of a shear element (Fig. 3.5c). The concept of “shearwall
segments” in a wood-frame wall leads to the assumption that the lateral force is generally distributed
uniformly throughout the total length of all segments

These factors are essentially the same as those required for a diaphragm, but there are some differences in
procedures.

The sheathing thickness depends on the type of material used in the wall construction.

Shearwall nailing or stapling requirements are a function of the unit shear in the wall and the materials of
construction.

The collector (or strut) for a shearwall is the same member as the collector for the diaphragm. It is the
connecting link between the shearwall and the diaphragm for loads parallel to the shearwall.

The proportions of a shearwall are measured by its height-to-width ratio h/b.

10.3 Shearwalls Using Wood Structural Panels

Perhaps the most common wood-frame shearwall is the type that uses wood struc- tural panel sheathing or
plywood siding.

Tabulated unit shears for shearwalls assume that the framing members are Douglas Fir-Larch or Southern
Pine.

Wood structural panel sheathing is often provided on only one side of a wall, and then finish materials are
applied to both sides of the wall.

The capacity of the wall covering (gypsum wallboard, plaster, stucco, and the like) is generally not additive to
the shear capacity of the wood structural panel sheathing. There is one exception, however.
Plywood siding and certain code-recognized proprietary structural wood panel sidings can also be used to
resist shearwall forces. This siding can be nailed directly to the studs, or it may be installed over a layer of 5/8-
in.

Although galvanized box nails can be used to install plywood siding, the size of the nail head may be
objectionable from an appearance standpoint. Therefore, unit shears are tabulated for plywood siding
installed with galvanized casing nails.

Tabulated values apply to shear panels installed either horizontally or vertically. In the tables it is also
assumed that all panel edges are supported by and edge nailed to either the wall studs, plates, or blocking.

The segmented shearwall method (Fig. 10.3, top) assumes that each shearwall is a cantilevered element, fixed
at the base and free to deflect sideways at the top.

The second method (Fig. 10.3, center) involves design of the entire wall, including the opening, as a
shearwall. The IBC uses the term design for force transfer around openings for this method. In this approach,
the sheathed wall portions above and below openings act as coupling beams, transferring vertical shear
across the opening.

The third method (Fig. 10.3, bottom) is called the perforated shearwall method. This is a semi-empirical
method developed from shearwall testing. Like the second method, the perforated shearwall utilizes the full
wall, including wall openings.

10.4 Other Sheathing Materials

If the design shears are high, wood structural panel sheathing may be required. However, if the design forces
are relatively low, other wall coverings may have sufficient strength to carry the shears directly.

The R-factors are 2 for a bearing-wall system and 2.5 for a building-frame system; as compared to 6.5 and 7,
respectively, using wood structural panel sheathing.

For wood light-frame systems, common bracing materials are stucco (exterior plaster), gypsum lath and
plaster (interior plaster), gypsum wallboard (drywall), particleboard, fiberboard, and diagonal lumber
sheathing.

10.5 Shearwall Chord Members

The overturning moment at the base of the segmented shearwall is resolved into a couple that creates axial
tension and com- pression forces in the end posts or studs that serve as chord members.

The force in the tension chord can be conservatively estimated with dead load neglected. From Sec. 2.17 of
this book, uplift due to seismic forces will most commonly be controlled by ASD load combination 8: 0.6D +
0.7E. With the dead load neglected this simplifies to 0.7E and includes only tension forces due to shearwall
overturning.

10.6 Design Problem: Shearwall

In Example 10.5, the exterior transverse walls of a rectangular building are designed for a seismic force. The
building meets the conditions of many “typical” buildings as outlined in Example 3.5 in Sec. 3.4. The strength-
level seismic base shear coefficient for a building with wood bearing walls and wood structural panel
sheathing is assumed as 0.200.
10.7 Alternate Shearwall Design Methods

Both alternate design methods are intended for walls that include openings for doors or windows. Both
consider the behavior of the entire wall including the openings, rather than considering each full-height
segment to be an individual shearwall.

First, shearwalls designed for force transfer around openings will be intro- duced. These shearwalls use
sheathing above and below the openings as cou- pling beams connecting the full-height wall segments.

The second alternate shearwall design approach, the perforated shearwall, will now be introduced. This
design approach also considers the entire wall includng door and window openings. The primary advantage
of this design approach is a reduction in the number of required tie-down anchors. Rather than adding
blocking, strapping and additional edge nailing to provide continuity around the openings, this method
instead recognizes the somewhat lower capacity and higher deflection of the wall when this detailing is not
used.

10.8 Anchorage Considerations

Generally speaking, anchorage refers to the tying together of the main elements so that the building will
function as a unit in resisting the design loads. Although gravity loads need to be considered, the term
anchorage emphasizes the design for lateral forces.

Anchorage can be systematically provided by considering the transfer of the following loads:

1. Vertical (gravity) loads

2. Lateral forces parallel to a wall
3. Lateral forces perpendicular to a wall

Anchorage is basically a connection design problem. The scope of the discussion in this chapter is limited to
the calculation of the forces involved in the connections. Once the magnitudes of the forces are known, the
techniques of Chaps. 12 through 14 can be used to complete the problem.

10.9 Vertical (Gravity) Loads

As noted, the term anchorage implies connection design for lateral forces. However, this can be viewed as
part of an overall connection design process. In connection design, the first loads that come to mind are the
gravity loads. These start at the roof level and work their way down through the structure. The “flow” of these
forces is fairly easy to visualize.

10.10 Lateral Forces Parallel to a Wall

A shearwall resists lateral forces that are parallel to the wall. In doing so, it cantilevers from the foundation,
and both a shear and a moment are developed at the base of the wall.

The connections for resisting the moment will be considered first. It will be recalled that the moment is
carried by the chords, and the chord forces are obtained by resolving the moment into a couple.

For connection design, the tension chord is generally of main concern. The tension chord force and the
connection at the base of the tension chord will become important for

1. Tall shear segments (i.e., when h is large)

2. Narrow segments (i.e., when b is small)

3. Small resisting dead loads

The tension tie for the shearwall anchorage is often made with an engineered or prefabricated metal bracket
commonly called a tie-down or hold-down. These brackets are attached to the chord member with nails,
bolts, or lag bolts, and to the foundation with an anchor bolt.

After the shearwall has been anchored to the foundation for the tension chord force, the overall stability of
the wall system must be checked. In this case, the dead load of the foundation is included in the resisting
moment.

10.11 Shearwall Deflection

The calculated deflection of a shearwall is used to verify that code maximum drift limits are being met, and is
also used as part of the determination of a flexible diaphragm for purposes of seismic force distribution.

The deflection of Level x at the center of mass is calculated as:

Cdxe/
x = I

where Cd is a deflection amplifier given in ASCE 7 Table 12.2-1 (the R-factor table), and xe is the deflection at
strength level determined using an elastic analysis.

The drift criteria of ASCE 7 Secs. 12.8.6 and 12.12 are generally checked at the building center of mass. Where
the building has a torsional irregularity, ASCE 7 Sec. 12.12.1 requires that the building drift be the largest
difference in deflection along any building edge.

10.12 Lateral Forces Perpendicular to a Wall

In addition to being designed for the shearwall forces covered previously in this chapter, wall must be
designed for forces that are normal to the wall. The wall must be adequately anchored to the foundation and
the roof diaphragm to resist design forces normal to the wall due to tributary wind and seismic forces.

In the case of the lateral force parallel to the wall, the sheathing is assumed to transfer the force into the
bottom plate of the wall. However, for the lateral force normal to the wall, the sheathing cannot generally be
relied upon to transfer these forces.

The standard method of connecting wall studs to the bottom plate is with toe- nails or nails driven through
the bottom plate into the end of the stud. The latter connection is often used when a shearwall segment is
preframed and then lifted into place.