Thesis (M.Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 272-282). Also available in electronic version.

The effect of door and window openings on long timber framed shear walls was the subject of this thesis. Four different wall configurations containing various openings and one control wall with no openings were tested to examine ultimate load capacity and stiffness. All walls were forty feet in length and contained tie-down anchorage at the extreme ends of the wall only. Two replications of the five wall configurations were built. Each of the five wall configurations was tested using a: 1) monotonic displacement pattern and 2) sequential phased displacement pattern. A better understanding of the effect of monotonic and cyclic loading (and the relationship between the two loading types) on ultimate load capacity and stiffness for a given wall configuration were examined. To efficiently design shear walls, the effect of openings on shear wall performance must be known. This thesis adds to previous work on shear walls with openings to provide valuable information for future use. Results from this investigation are intended to provide useful information regarding performance of long shear walls with openings. Data concerning capacity, drift, elastic stiffness, and ductility are presented. Two methods of capacity prediction of shear walls with openings are examined. Sugiyama (1994) provided an empirical equation for prediction of load resistance that has been applied to capacity and is the basis for the perforated shear wall method. This thesis further validates his work to full scale long shear walls. A new method for capacity prediction was developed by the author and is also presented. / Master of Science

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-64). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2010. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 58-60). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Drexel University, 2009. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 363-370).

Thesis (M.S. in civil engineering)--Washington State University, May 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 53-54).

The main objective of the study is to verify the accuracy of the approximate hand calculation method used extensively by the engineers for the calculation of the rigidity of shear walls with openings. Different types of shear walls are considered varying in the dimensions and positions of the opening, however, maintaining the same basic material properties. The results obtained by the hand calculation are compared to the finite element approach to check for the discrepancy. The finite element analysis software NISA/DISPLAY IV and SAP2000 is considered for the purpose.

A parametric study was performed to determine the effect of flexible foundations on the response of timber shear walls. Timber shear walls, which typically consist of structural-use panels, such as plywood or oriented strand board (OSB), attached to a frame made from dimension lumber with dowel-type fasteners such as nails, provide resistance to lateral loading for many low-rise structures in North America. Research performed on shear walls has assumed that a wall is supported by a relatively stiff foundation, such as a concrete block wall, along the entire length of the wall. However, walls are sometimes supported by a relatively flexible foundation, such as a floor joist, which would alter the stiffness, and therefore the response of the wall. Research on flexible foundations is limited at best, and there is a string need to examine the behavior of shear walls on flexible foundations. The study consisted of creating a shear wall numerical model, varying the conditions at the foundation of the model, and analyzing the model when subjected to both monotonic and dynamic loading for each foundation. The system modeled corresponded to a 2.4 m (8 ft) high by 3.7 m (12 ft) long shear wall supported by and parallel to a 7.3 m (24 ft) long joist with hold-downs at each chord of the wall. The joist was supported at each end, with one chord of the wall at an end of the joist and the other chord located at the center of the joist. Eleven joist cross-sections, with sizes determined based on deflection criteria ranging from L/180 to L/720, and a rigid base were included in the study, along with three different hold-down bolt sizes, for a total of thirty-six different foundations. The wall model was analyzed using WALSEIZ1, which is a modified version of the finite element program WALSEIZ (White and Dolan, 1995). Maximum displacements, internal forces, and maximum load were recorded when the model was subjected to monotonic loading, while the maximum displacements and base shear were recorded when the model was subjected to dynamic loading. Results from the study were examined to determine if modifications to the current design practices should be considered. / Master of Science

The majority of residential construction and a significant portion of light commercial and industrial construction has been, and will continue to be light-framed timber construction. In recent years, innovations have surfaced to improve upon light-framed construction. Structurally insulated panels (SIPS) are gaining popularity due to their superior energy efficiency and ease of construction. Light-framed timber construction has proven to be trustworthy in high-wind and seismic regions due to its lightweight construction and numerous redundancies. Shear walls, along with floor and roof diaphragms, resist lateral loads in a timber structure. In the past, research has focused on the static racking performance of light-framed shear walls. More recently, research has been focused on the cyclic and dynamic performance of shear walls. To the author's knowledge, no other research is reported in the literature on the cyclic performance of SIPS shear walls. It is important to understand and quantify the monotonic and cyclic response of shear walls. In this study, twenty-three full-scale shear walls were tested under monotonic loading and sequential phased displacement cyclic loading. Four different wall configurations were examined. Monotonic and cyclic performance of the shear walls and monotonic and cyclic testing procedures are compared. Response of SIPS shear walls is also compared to the response of light-framed shear walls based on capacity, stiffness, ductility, energy dissipation, damping characteristics, and overall behavior. Results of this study will provide useful information regarding the performance of SIPS shear walls and similar systems subjected to static, cyclic, and dynamic lateral loads. / Master of Science

The Best Master's Thesis Award of the Hong Kong Section, American Society of Civil Engineers (2005-06) / published_or_final_version / abstract / Civil Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy