A numerical investigation is presented on effects of plan configuration on seismic responses of single-story, wood-frame dwellings. 151 models were developed using observations of 412 dwellings of rectangular, L, T, U, and Z-shapes in Oregon. A nonlinear, time-history program, Seismic Analysis Package for Wood-frame Structures, was the analysis platform. Models...
Ten full-size (3.7×4.9m) plywood roof diaphragms were constructed using metal-plate-connected (MPC) common and hip wood trusses or joists, typical of single-family dwelling (SFD) construction. The specimens included three gable roof slopes of 33, 67, and 100%, a hip roof of 33% slope, and a flat roof, with a horizontal bottom...
There are about 80 million single-family dwellings (SFDs) in the United States, predominantly of wood-frame construction. Of these, 68% are owner-occupied. A home is typically the largest single investment of a family, and is often not covered by earthquake insurance, even where it is available. Of all the houses in...
Residential energy use is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Reducing energy efficiency in conventional wood-framed houses are thermal bridges: direct paths that allow heat to flow through the studs instead of the insulation. One suggestion for reducing thermal bridging is the staggered stud (SS) wall....
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of wood-frame shear walls under monotonic, cyclic, and earthquake loads by: 1) comparing performance under each loading protocol; 2) evaluating effects of anchorage; and 3) eval-uating performance qualitatively and quantitatively with respect to code-defined performance measures. Tests were conducted on...
The objectives of this study were to evaluate the performance of wood-frame shear walls under monotonic and cyclic loads by: 1) determining variability of shear wall performance; 2) comparing performance of walls under each loading protocol; 3) evaluating effects of anchorage on wall performance; and 4) evaluating performance of walls...
The objective of this study was to compare the shear strength of structural composite lumber (SCL) based on shear block to that of shear strength based on torsion test. Shear blocks in two diflcrent orientations fom laminated veneer lumber, parallel strand lumber, and laminated strand lumber (LSL) were tested and...
The objective of this research was to use a three-dimensional (3D) analysis method to evaluate “system effects” in light-frame roof truss assemblies. The goal of this study was to develop an improved and practical design method for 3D roof truss assemblies used in residential construction. A truss plate manufacturer (TPM)...
The construction industry has relied heavily on wood and wood-based composites, such as oriented strand board (OSB) and plywood for timber frame construction. Therefore, it is highly imperative to categorize the response of wood-based composites when exposed to elevated temperatures for a sustained period of time. The essence of fire-resistant...
This study investigated the effect of exposure to elevated temperature on the yield strength of single-shear nail connections when subjected to lateral loading. Solid sawn lumber and laminated veneer lumber were used as framing members and two different thicknesses of both oriented strand board and plywood were used as the...
Fracture toughness of wood and wood composites has traditionally been characterized by a stress intensity factor, an initiation strain energy release rate (G init) or a total energy to fracture (G f). These parameters provide incomplete fracture characterization for these materials because the toughness changes as the crack propagates. Thus,...
Remediation methods and strength predictions were evaluated for wood I-joists with single, circular holes in the webs, leaving utilities in place. A full-scale bending test using four equally spaced point loads was applied to three depths of joists with varying flange widths and span lengths of 4.88 and 2.44 m....
Tsunamis have devastated coastal regions worldwide, with the most recent being the result of the Great Tohoku Japan earthquake and tsunami, which was a M9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred off the east coast of Japan on March 11, 2011. In this study, a fragility formulation is utilized to develop...
This paper highlights the development of a rapid visual screening (RVS) tool to quickly identify, inventory, and rank residential buildings that are potentially seismically hazardous, focusing on single-family, wood-frame dwellings with plan irregularity. The SAPWood software was used to perform a series of nonlinear time-history analyses for 480 representative models,...
In the summer of 2009, a full-scale midrise wood-frame building was tested under a series of simulated earthquakes on the world’s largest shake table in Miki City, Japan. The objective of this series of tests was to validate a performance-based seismic design approach by qualitatively and quantitatively examining the building’s...
Tornadoes represent a unique natural hazard because of the very low probability of occurrence, short warning times (on the order of only a few minutes), and the intense and destructive forces imposed on engineered and nonengineered buildings. The very low-probability/very high-consequence nature of a tornado strike makes designing for survival...
Global sustainability goals have led to the development of the green building movement. The Green Building Program, stemming from the movement, has had unprecedented success as it provides a quantifiable metric to people’s efforts towards sustainable development. Sustainable development and green buildings are often used interchangeably. Although, sustainable development and...
The objective of this project was to evaluate system effects and further define load paths within a light-frame wood structure under extreme wind events. The three-dimensional 30- by 40-ft (9.1- by 12.2-m) building, designed to be representative of typical light-frame wood construction in the southeastern coastal region of the United...
The overall goal of this project was to design a wood frame shear wall that could withstand greater displacement before damage occurred to the gypsum wall board (GWB). A total of 14 shear walls consisting of seven different designs with two walls built per design were tested to failure. Six...
Current compression perpendicular-to-grain (C⊥) design values for wood members are based on mean stress obtained from ASTM D143 specimen. The standard ASTM test with metal on wood bearing has limited applicability in modern construction assemblies with C⊥ loading scenarios. Previous work has shown that end-bearing conditions and wood-on-wood C⊥ bearing...