Performance-based design has gained interest in recent years among structural designers and researchers. Performance-based design includes selection of appropriate building sites, structural systems and configurations, as well as analytical procedures used in the design process, to confirm that the structure has adequate strength, stiffness and energy dissipation capacity to respond to the design loads without exceeding permissible damage states. Although performance-based seismic design has advanced for some materials and structural types, such as steel and reinforced concrete buildings and bridges, its application to light-frame structures remains largely unexplored. The objective of this research was to explore the potential for the application of performance-based engineering concepts to the design and assessment of woodframe structures subject to earthquakes. Nonlinear dynamic time-history analysis was used to predict the performance of shearwalls considering a suite of scaled characteristic ordinary ground motions to represent the seismic hazard. Sensitivity studies were performed to investigate the relative effects of damping, sheathing properties, fastener type and spacing, panel layout, and other properties on the performance of wood shearwalls. In addition, the effects of uncertainty in ground motions and variability in sheathing-to-framing connection hysteretic parameters were investigated. Issues such as the contribution of nonstructural finish materials, different seismic hazard regions, and construction quality also were investigated and modification factors to adjust peak displacement distributions were developed. The peak displacement distributions were then used to construct performance curves and design charts as a function of seismic weights for two baseline walls. Finally, fragility curves were developed for the baseline walls considering different nailing schedules, corresponding allowable seismic weights, and various overstrength (R) factors. / Graduation date: 2004