Diaphragms and Shear Walls Design and Construction Guide

Designers have several choices when designing a building for lateral loads, such as those generated by wind or earthquakes. Lateral loads may be transferred to the foundation via braced frames or rigid frames, diagonal rods or “X” bracing, including let-in bracing in the case of wood frame construction, or other methods may be used. Buildings can be designed to resist the horizontal loads introduced by the most violent wind or earthquake through the application of a principle called “diaphragm design”.

This publication is designed for: architects, engineers, designers

This publication provides an overview of diaphragms and shear walls, explains the advantages of diaphragm design and gives examples of how they can be incorporated into building design.

Key sections include:

• Diaphragms and shear walls defined

• Advantages of diaphragm design

• Design examples

  • Determine shear wall design for wind loading

  • Determine shear wall design for seismic loading

  • Shear wall design (traditional segmented) – with specific gravity framing adjustment

  • Shear wall deflection

  • Shear wall designed with openings – perforated shear wall design method (Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic [SDPWS] Section 4.3.2.3 and 2021 SDPWS Section 4.3.2.3)

  • Diaphragm design for wind loading

  • Determine diaphragm design for seismic loading

  • Design of wood structural panel roof diaphragm

  • Calculate deflection of an unblocked diaphragm

  • Design of a subdiaphragm

• High-Load diaphragms

Published by APA — The Engineered Wood Association.