Shearwall not over foundation
Shearwall not over foundation
(OP)
I have a question for everyone...
We design custom residential homes which have very unique architecture. I wanted to know if I use a wall as a shearwall and it sits on a floor system below and does not tie into a foundation, do I have any special design considerations to consider?
I know i design the wall sheathing and nailing the same way. And that I still have to have have holdowns if required at each end. But how do I take care of the shear at the bottom of the wall? Do I make sure the beams/girders holding up the wall can handle the axial load? Do I somehow need to get the load into the foundation or out of the beam/girder?
We design custom residential homes which have very unique architecture. I wanted to know if I use a wall as a shearwall and it sits on a floor system below and does not tie into a foundation, do I have any special design considerations to consider?
I know i design the wall sheathing and nailing the same way. And that I still have to have have holdowns if required at each end. But how do I take care of the shear at the bottom of the wall? Do I make sure the beams/girders holding up the wall can handle the axial load? Do I somehow need to get the load into the foundation or out of the beam/girder?






RE: Shearwall not over foundation
The shear force is applied to the floor diaphragm as a concentrated load. The chord forces are applied as gravity loads to the floor system. You can resist the chord forces with a floor girder or with columns directly under the shear wall chords.
See Don Breyer's book "Design of Wood Structures".