Abstract:
Present design procedures for exterior stud wall systems result in walls which are over-designed because composite action, load sharing, and partial end-fixation are not taken into consideration. In this study partial end-fixation was evaluated for several methods of wall construction. A mathematical model was developed to determine the coefficient of end restraint. Tests of 45 wall sections were conducted to evaluate certain variables in the model. Construction types, exterior coverings and axial loads were varied during testing to evaluate the effect on end fixation. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of construction type, exterior covering, and axial load on end-fixity. An example is presented to show the application of the coefficient of end restraint in calculating deflection of a beam-column with partial end-fixity.
