Replies

1. 
   Jim_Walters | Dec 05, 2000 12:59pm | #1

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   I built a house in a wind tunnel in Alaska once and covered all the interior walls with 1/2 plywood before drywall. We considered that a shear house.

1. 
   Boss_Hog | Dec 05, 2000 01:30pm | #2

   *I think shear wall details are generally called out by the Architect or engineer on a project. They specify lumber grades, plywood thickness, and nailing requirements.There is no "generic" shearwall. They have to be designed for a specific situation. You have to consider things such as the length of the wall, the height, and how much force it will be required to resist.

1. 
   Thor_Matteson | Dec 06, 2000 03:42am | #3

   *Sorry--It was way past late last night when I posted this question. I am a structural engineer, and have offered to make a presentation to the local Contractors Association on shear walls. I was hoping to find something to share with them showing actual construction details. It sure looks like there's nothing out there. Next question: Would framers/carpenters/contractors be interested in a book covering the basic principles behind shear walls, and how to make sure they will really do what they are meant to?I appreciate your input!

1. 
   CaseyR_ | Dec 06, 2000 09:05pm | #4

   *Thor -The best info I have found on the Internet is:http://www.mcvicker.com/vwall/page000.htmWhen I bought my house near the Hayward fault in the San Francisco area (Contra Costa County), I received a packet of information on retrofitting shear walls for cripple walls and other areas. I think it was similar to:http://www.mcvicker.com/twd/apa/eqguide/eqguid04.htm(which is a part of http://www.mcvicker.com/twd/apa/eqguide/eqguid01.htm)http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/fixit/ch3/sld001.htmThe Wood Handbook - Wood as an Engineering Material US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, on page 11-14 gives information on how to calculate various stresses on stress skin panels. I would assume some of the formulas might be related to shear wall analysis.A couple of other odds and ends:http://z-wall.com/comparative.htmhttp://www.gtstrudl.gatech.edu/gtstrudl_new/GTSTRUDL_Users_Group_Newsletter/demitz.htmhttp://www.vinet.com/~steelhouse/Shear.htm

2. 
   Thor_Matteson | Dec 06, 2000 09:07pm | #5

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   All you framers out there--how did you learn to build shear walls? I have looked at about a dozen carpentry reference books dating back to the fifties, but not found anything more than some schematics. Is there any good reference out there with details, photos, diagrams and such?

   Thanks,

   Thor