Assessment of Current Analysis Methodology of Light-Frame Wood Buildings Under Lateral Loads Using Wood3D

Wood shear walls are the main components used to resist lateral loads in a light-frame wood building (LFWB). In a previous study, a novel simplified model, that accurately predicts the deformations and the straining actions in the shear walls of a LFWB through three-dimensional finite element analysis, was developed. This efficient model implicitly simulated all the components of the shear walls including the sheathings, the studs, and the nails. In this model, the bending and the shear stiffness of the walls are simulated using nonlinear link elements. An extensive database was developed to determine the link properties for all the work configurations. An interface was also developed that is integrated with the commercial software ETABS and the database, allowing an efficient three-dimensional analysis of LFWBs under lateral loads. This numerical package is named "Wood3D". The softwareWood3D can estimate the straining actions in all the components of aLFWB under the combined effects of gravity and lateral loads. In the current study, Wood3D is used to analyze and conduct a design check for an existing LFWS that was designed using the approximate procedure, currently employed in the industry. The results are used to assess the accuracy of this approximate procedure in comparison with the rigorous analysis and design checks conducted using Wood3D. Three models of the existing LFWB are generated using different modeling assumptions. The results from this analysis conclude that the current design method for wood shear walls in the industry is over-conservative.