In tall wood structures consideration should be made for structural loading, durability and usability. Consider design loading, shear walls, diaphragms, lateral stability, shrinkage, water management, fire resistance and sound control.
Lateral stability can be an issue depending on your wind or seismic conditions. Building lateral drift/stiffness may limit the type of exterior cladding. Check the top plate compression. Compression perpendicular to grain may control stud size due to end-bearing requirements on the wall plates, or bearing plate sizing in beam and column design. Include the strength reduction for fire resistance. For exterior walls consider x by 6 lumber at 12 or 16 inches on-center and 3 by 4 lumber at 16 inches on-center for the interior wall studs.
The effects of cumulative shrinkage can affect the building envelope, such as the exterior cladding, windows and hold down system. Special consideration must be given to designs that allow for shrinkage. To minimize shrinkage consider selecting kiln dry plates, open web parallel-chord trusses for floor joist members and composite wood products. Simpson or ATS have hold down system you might consider that can take up the shrinkage. Horizontal sheathing gaps with flashing must be detailed.
Control strategies must be developed to effectively deal with each of these sources and mechanisms.
The two general strategies for rain penetration control:
• minimize the amount of rainwater contacting the building surfaces and assemblies
• manage the rainwater deposited on or within assemblies
Drainage planes must be detailed. Interior moisture source must be considered.
Consider fire-stopping and draft-stopping techniques, use fire retardant material and non-combustible stairs wells. Spatial separation to the property line maybe required. Automatic sprinklers requirement should be analyzed.
Sound transmission is an important non-structural design consideration for multi-story wall and floor construction.
Attached is a report SEA BC on the subject
