Replies

1. 
   calvin | Sep 30, 2011 02:13pm | #1

   fort

   Has not the testing been done already on code specified/approved methods of construction?  How else would they get the standards which we are required to build to now?

   As to individual fasteners, the same question applies.  Does Simpson do (or a testing lab) tests to figure out their requirements for fastening their hardware?

   Admittedly, non standard (and I take you to mean, those methods of construction not specified in the codebooks) might be a little more nefarious as far as it pertains to meeting structural requirements.

   thanks.

2. 
   DanH | Sep 30, 2011 06:12pm | #2

   A little more info is needed --

   Are you testing for strength, thermal performance, sound, ease of construction, or what?

   What is your audience -- code writers/enforcers, insurance, building materials manufacturers, ...?

   Will these be small samples (less than, say, 8x12 feet), full wall size, or complete small houses?

1. 
   CAcdeESonm | Sep 30, 2011 10:09pm | #3

   wall panel testing

   I am primarily interested in durabuility and strength. my desire is to identify weak wall panel designs and to identify stronger wall panel design. My intent is to inform insurance underwriters if relative performance of wall designs and to breing new light to code officials. I am also interested in how energy codes are affecting wall performance. with so many wind events occuring these days, we need to  understand when code compliant wall panels fail and what we can do to retrofit existing homes. I work for a large research organization that does not want to be identified at this time and i thought using the forums would allow me to get real input from real people.

1. 
   Paul_Z | Oct 01, 2011 01:10am | #4

   Code Compliant

   When you say code compliant, do you mean that the plans are code compliant for the installation of the wall panels of any other portion of the structure, or do you mean that the wall panel were actually installed according to code as they were written on the code compliant plans.

   Almost all failures in construction come from improper installation of the materials.  Nailing schedules not followed (to few nails or improperly placed nails).  Under or over driven nails.  The wrong anchoring sysetms used.  The list goes on and on.  Some of this is due to contractors trying to cut corners but most is due to unqualified and untrained carpenters with little to no understanding of how a building structure reacts to wind, sismic activity, water infiltration, expansion and contraction due to heat and humidity and the live and dead loads on the structure and how they all transfer to each other from roof to foundation.  To most untrained carpenters a house lives its life in 80% days with a slight breeze and gravity holds it in place and due not understand the effects of Mother Nature and how it effects the entire structure.

   I have heard that framing inspections on the West Coast and other sismic location are farily intense.  I do not know for sure since I have only worked on the east coast.  My average inspection for a building close-in for a 1500 to 2000 SF addition usually lasts about 6 minuites.  The first minuite the inspector take a lap around the addition and the next 5 minuites are spent talking about football, hunting or fishing and than I get my green sticker.

   We are all looking for better and stronger ways to build with energy conservining techniques.  However we need more trained carpenters with a better understanding of how building structure works in the real world.  Much more importantly we really  need building inspectors that have the time and knowledge to fully inspect a building structure to make sure that the tradesmen have built the structure to the code compliant plans, that have been designed to the testing that has been done on a perfectly built model that is built for testing purposes in the lab. 

   The building inspector is the last chance to insure that the framing is installed correctly before the interior and exterior finishes are installed.  These inspections take time and a well educated inspector.  We need better qualified  and more knowlegable inspectors to ensure that the projectare being built to the plan specifications

   When a building structure does fail you can bet that over 90% of the time that it is installation error and not design error.

   So sorry that I did not give you any ideas on how to improve existing wall panel construction systems but my point is we need to sure that the best designed wall panel systems are installed and inspectedproperly to reduce the rate of failure.

   Paul

1. 
   CAcdeESonm | Oct 01, 2011 09:43pm | #5

   wall panel testing

   iagree with you on100% of the issues. I wish i had an answer, but my experience (30 years) tell me it will only get worse. My concern is how to get a design/material/whatever that will work with these limitations. are there ways that we can build either redundancy or safety into designs that would help us with declining skills on all levels. Thank goodness the auto manufacturers dont build cars the way we build houses.

3. 
   joeh | Oct 19, 2011 11:50pm | #6

   Test nails

   I see new construction with the treated sill plates going on with gun nails. Sheathing nailed or stapled with gun nail or staples.

   In a year or two when those nails rust out what happens? All those J-bolts are holding the sill down but the rest of the wall is no longer attached?  Wizard of Oz time?

   Joe H