Wood Shearwall Penetrations

[StructuralEd]

How are penetrations in a wood stud framed shearwall dealt with?
Do drilled pipe or small square penetrations, say for switch boxes, present a problem?
How would those be analysed if allowed?

 

[woodman88]

I have not read it but,

SBCCI Standard for Hurricane Resistant Construction SSTD 10-99 is the only place I'm aware of that has prescriptive criteria for holes in shear walls.

Basically, I have checked for a 6" diameter/square hole in a 24" wide panel. Per this, I make adjustments is I see is needed.

Garth Dreger PE - AZ Phoenix area
As EOR's we should take the responsibility to design our structures to support the components we allow in our design per that industry standards.

 

[manstrom]

You could use the perforated shearwall design equation to see the effective reduction in capacity (actually, the increase in shear at the wall ends), but small holes less than a square foot or so should effect it at all.

Section 4.3.3.5 in SDPWS 2008

An h/3 opening doesn't change the Co factor at all. I wouldn't worry about outlets.

 

[StructuralEd]

Thanks all.