Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
(OP)
We have several wood building projects ranging from 3-5 stories. Due to high lateral forces, many shearwalls are required especially within the interior of the building. The question posed to this fine forum is how to handle the shear transfer from one wall segment to the segment at the next floor below (the walls in question are interior demising walls and are contiguous within their vertical plane). Our solution was to have the sheathing be continuous through the height of the shearwall. Unfortunately, that prevents the floor framing from bearing on top of the wall (the floor framing is perpendicular to the wall for these shearwalls). A horizontal nailer could be nailed to the face of the shearwall to support the floor framing, but the contractor thought we were insane.
The floor framing is 12"-24" deep depending upon the floor. There is a gap between the floor diaphragm and the shearwall below if the floor framing must bear on top of the wall. We are arguing that SOMETHING has to be provided to transfer the shear across this gap (sheathing, blocking, bracing, etc.) and to prevent rolling of the floor framing. What is typically done to transfer the shear across this gap?
The floor framing is 12"-24" deep depending upon the floor. There is a gap between the floor diaphragm and the shearwall below if the floor framing must bear on top of the wall. We are arguing that SOMETHING has to be provided to transfer the shear across this gap (sheathing, blocking, bracing, etc.) and to prevent rolling of the floor framing. What is typically done to transfer the shear across this gap?






RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
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RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
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An APA Shear wall Design Guide (must register – but free):
http:/
Also look here for a listing of some free publications on shearwalls (scroll down):
http://www.awc.org/Publications/download.html
RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
1) Excellent idea for trusses! For my own education, is this a "truss block" an actual truss that fits in between the floor trusses?
2) What if the floor is LVL's?
Thanks!!
RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
You should be able to use some of the details that are in the links above that show solid blocking if the floor uses LVL's.
RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
DaveAtkins
RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
Some excellent illustrative examples are shown in Thor Matteson's book "Wood-Framed Shear Wall Construction". Figures 23-25 on page 30 show exactly the problem I was trying to describe. The best solution is to introduce "truss frames" (Fig. 25) in between the floor framing (aka, the truss blocks described above). An alternate to that, but allegedly not as good, is to use blocking (Fig. 24). Bottom line is that something MUST be provided to transfer the shear from the floor diaphragm across the gap into the wall sheathing.
RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
Now, for the roof diaphragm to work correctly the shear has to come out of the sheathing and go into the wall. To do this there has to be some blocking. So, do I need full depth blocking or will just blocking the compression chord allow me to use the trusses to transfer the shear from the sheathing to the plate?
RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls
RE: Multi-Story Wood Shearwalls