U-Shaped Residence with Woodworks Shearwalls
U-Shaped Residence with Woodworks Shearwalls
(OP)
I don't quite remember if I saw some comments about this before but recently when I tried analyzing a U-shaped residence in Woodwork's Shearwalls software I noticed that it didn't accurately handle the gap in the diaphragm between the two arms of the u-shape. The software essentially treated the load distribution to the shearwalls from the diaphragm as if the discontinuity (created by the u-shape) did not exist. What have others encountered in this regard?
In the end, I simply created three different models of the same residence, one u-shaped and two L-shaped, and then applied some logic as to what numbers seemed reasonable in assigning the loads to each shearwall. I guess this is why computers have not completely taken over our industry yet... give it a few more years though.
In the end, I simply created three different models of the same residence, one u-shaped and two L-shaped, and then applied some logic as to what numbers seemed reasonable in assigning the loads to each shearwall. I guess this is why computers have not completely taken over our industry yet... give it a few more years though.
A confused student is a good student.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, PE
www.medeek.com






RE: U-Shaped Residence with Woodworks Shearwalls
If we're talking two long wings connected by a short bottom than I would expect a big difference in load distribution but if it was short projections on the U I would be inclined to ignore the discontinuity. The line between long and short projections is fuzzy though.