Testing of light-gauge steel-frame - wood structural panel shear walls

Abstract

At present, no Canadian document is available with which engineers can design light-gauge steel-frame – wood structural panel shear walls that are relied upon to resist lateral in-plane loading (earthquake and wind). For this reason, a research project was initiated with the overall goal of developing a shear wall design method that could be used in conjunction with the 2005 National Building Code of Canada. The initial phase of the project was to conduct an experimental study to provide information on the response of single-storey shear walls. An extensive program of tests was completed on walls composed of 1.12 mm thick 230 MPa grade steel framing sheathed with 12.5 mm Douglas-fir plywood, Canadian softwood plywood, or 11 mm oriented strand board wood structural panels. Various wall lengths and connection patterns were incorporated into the program of monotonic and reversed cyclic tests. The scope of testing was selected such that it added to the North American database of information for steel-frame – wood structural panel shear walls. Information on the test program and the general results are provided in this paper.Key words: shear wall, light-gauge steel, wood structural panel, earthquake, wind.