Determining the true performance of wall sheathing products as braced wall panels is critical to our knowledge of building design and performance. Over the past several months, SBCRI has undertaken revolutionary testing, by examining how braced wall panels perform in braced wall lines in an actual building. Based on what we are learning, it is clear the industry will be able to influence more efficient value engineering in those designs.

Learn more about standard ASTM single element test methods

 

To accomplish load and resistance accuracy, SBCRI constructed a standard comparative equivalency test structure – a 12'x30' single story code complying building. This structure can be built to any building code specification and up to two stories in height.

In the coming weeks and months, SBCRI will provide all the foundation information we have learned from our more than $300,000 worth of testing and analysis. We are comparing our test results to the analysis methods used in the RISA/WoodWorks partnership, which is promoted as providing a full range of wood design features (see AWC website).

SBCRI’s proprietary partners’ goal is to undertake full value engineered shear wall design for residential/commercial structures using a proprietary "testing calibrated" version of RISA’s software as our engineering foundation. Soon we will provide summaries of our fundamental braced wall line testing and test results that support our RISA engineering calibrations.

Our goal is to provide value engineering to an extent never seen before in our industry, and change you can count on!

Contact SBCA staff with any questions or comments on these Tech Notes.