Analytical Model for Sheathing-to-Framing Connections in Wood Shear Walls and Diaphragms

A new analytical model for sheathing-to-framing connections in wood shear walls and diaphragms is discussed in this paper. The model represents sheathing-to-framing connections using an oriented pair of nonlinear springs. Unlike previous models, the new analytical model is suitable for both monotonic and cyclic analyses and does not need to be scaled or adjusted. Furthermore, the analytical model may be implemented in a general purpose finite element program, such as ABAQUS, or in a specialized structural analysis program, such as CASHEW. To illustrate, the responses of a 4.88×14.6m plywood diaphragm and a 2.44×2.44m oriented strand board shear wall are predicted using the new analytical model.