×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

(OP)
I'm having trouble understanding what the maximum allowable height is for a wood shear wall. In the NDS wood and seismic manual and there seem to be a couple of references to limiting values but I'm having trouble understanding it. Can someone help me? Thanks.

RE: Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

Where in the NDS are you looking?

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)


RE: Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

(OP)
Yeah, sorry about that. I'm looking in a couple of places. For example, Section 4.3.4 and Table 4.3.4 refers to shear wall aspect ratios and Table 4.3.3.5 lists an adjustment factors, which makes reference to 8' and 10' walls...and then in Section 4.3.5.3.7 appears to limit perforated Shear Walls to 20'. This is in the 2008 edition, by the way.

So...am I then to infer that 20' tall wood shear walls allowed?

RE: Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

I've done ones up to 24' tall. Just make sure your aspect ratio meets the requirements.

RE: Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

I think you can go as tall as you want so long as you meet the aspect ratios. The end posts still need to work in compression which is what I think ends up giving you a reasonable upper bound on height. 16ft is as tall as I have gone, but wouldn't have an issue going taller.

RE: Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

As long as you meet the aspect ratios, and the studs work in compression, I don't see any reason to limit height.

RE: Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

65 feet for seismic design category D, E, and F. :P

Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.

RE: Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

65' studs are not easy to find.

BA

RE: Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

(OP)
Thanks, all. I think the residential code has a limit of 10' for their proscriptive design but I didn't know if there were specific limits for engineered solutions. Thanks for the help.

RE: Wood Shear Wall Max Height?

BA: Maybe we can get a few from these guys? ;)



Actually, stud length available is a good point. I suspect constructability and cost of using the larger size studs (2x8 and 2x10) to frame such a wall will give you the practical limit of shearwall height.

Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources