Wood-Framed Residence

10.1 DESCRIPTION
This is the most common above grade
residential construction method in North
America and some parts of Europe. The
main reason that this method is widely
used is due to how economical it is to
build. Wood structures have great energy
qualities and very efficient in heating and
cooling. On top of this, wood construction
can be used for modern, traditional, and
contemporary building styles, allowing its
architectural possibilities to be endless.
TYPICAL CONSTRUCTION

Derived originally from the timber frame

structures of European buildings, the light wood
frame developed mostly in early nineteenth
century as stands of timber were depleted and
saw mills became capable of producing smaller
dimension lumber. Major changes in modern
times include the use of panelized sheathing
and formed sheet metal fasteners.
The basic structure is little changed from
region to region. Major differences have to
do with exterior finish materials, roofing,
and foundation construction. The level of
complexity and sophistication of treatment
is not the same class with that
encountered with larger buildings.
STRUCTURAL ALTERNATIVES
The lights wood frame
can be emulated in
steel,using light-gage
elements. Use of
steel offers the
principal advantage of
reducing the mass of
combustible material
in the building.
In times past, the wood structure
was frequently developed as a
heavy timber frame, often with
infill utilizing elements of light
wood framing. Usually it is not
economically competitive for
most ordinary buildings. The
lack of available craft workers
and difficulty of obtaining good
timbers makes for difficulty even
when cost is not a concern.
There are sometimes compelling reasons
for variation of wall thickness.

For tight planning situation, non structural

walls of thinner dimension can be produced
by using 2x3 studs or even 2x2 studs.

For a wider voids for more insulation in

exterior walls and the need to accommodate
large items.
The void spaces in walls, as well as those
between joists and rafter, are utilized for
many practical purposes, primarily to
contain wiring, piping, ducts, items for the
electrical power, lighting, water and waste,
doorbell, and security alarm systems.
Solid sawn wood were
mostly achieved in wall
sheathing and floor and roof
decking. Use of solid sawn
wood requires control of the
quality of the wood used in
order to have economic
usage with a minimum of
dimensional and shape
change due to shrinkage.
Compressed-fiber products,
particle board, hardboard, and
so on, are steadily replacing
plywood for wall sheathing and
roof decking. This is not so
much the ascendancy of a
superior product as it is the
ability to utilize lower quality
wood from smaller, fast
growing trees, conserving the
increasingly scare high-quality
lumber from old-growth trees
for applications where it is
really needed.
It is possible to use any form of structure
for a house. Steel frames, masonry,
reinforced concrete, aluminum skins, and
fabric have been use as well as ice, mud,
twigs, and animal skins. The home made
or highly crafted, custom-designed house
offers endless possibilities and some
notable, outstanding examples exist.
For everyday consumption the light wood
frame still stands as the most widely used
system. There is a wide variation of details
and construction form. Design for an
earthquakes begins with a general form
and proceeds to investigations for
improvement.
 10.2 WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN AN
EARTHQUAKE
Condider some possible scenarios for this
building in the event of a major earthquake:

• Anything not securely fastened in place will get

tossed around.

• Any heavy items thus launched can do damage

as missiles and may be responsible for
significant damage to walls, windows, and other
impact-vulnerable parts of the construction.
 CONDITIONS THAT COULD
CAUSE COLLAPSE

For the basic structure, first concern is for

actual collapse. For the typical wood
frame, with a lot of redundant lumber, and
with some design for the lateral and
vertical uplift effects of wind, full collapse
is not likely, unless some really bad
situation exist.
 CAUSES OF COLLAPSE:

• INADEQUATE
FOUNDATION
ANCHORAGE
• BAD
DISTRIBUTION
OF THE
BUILDING
MASS
• BAD DISTRIBUTION
OF THE LATERAL
BRACING
STRUCTURE
• INADEQUATE
RESISTANCE
OF INDIVIDUAL
ELEMENTS
• INTERACTION
FAILURE
• NON STRUCTURAL
DAMAGE
• DAMAGE TO
SERVICE
SYSTEMS
• BROKEN SEALS
• CHIMNEYS
All the possibilities must be considered for
the site. The wood frame structure itself is
capable of some adjustment to
deformations. Excessive site movement
may not cause structural failures but will
certainly cause a lot of cosmetic damage.
Even when buildings are fully repaired
following a major erthquake, the
disturbance of soils may result subsequent
movement, both vertically and horizontally.
It takes a lot of time for the soil to regain
its stability.