Double-Sheathed Shear Walls
Technical Topic
The International Building Code (IBC) and the ANSI/AWC Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS) have long permitted double-sided wood structural panel shear walls to be fabricated with the same grade and thickness of sheathing and fastened with the same nailing schedule on both sides of the wall. Walls built this way are permitted to double the shear capacity provided for single-sided shear walls using the same sheathing and attachment schedule.
Based on these provisions, the question often arises as to whether the same methodology can be permitted for wood structural panel shear walls with both layers of sheathing attached to the same side of the framing.
This publication is designed for: architects, builders, engineers
This technical topic presents and discusses the results of full-scale testing that was conducted at the APA Research Center to examine the efficacy of double-sheathed shear walls and to investigate if their performance would match that of double-sided shear walls.
Key sections include:
Double-sheathed shear wall construction and design
ASD design capacities for double-sheathed shear walls
Published by APA — The Engineered Wood Association.
