Buildings Subject to Lateral

Forces

by Bart Quimby, P.E., Ph.D

UAA School of Engineering
CE 434 - Timber Design
Fall 1995
 Lateral Forces
• Lateral forces result from either wind
loading or seismic motion.
• In either case, the diaphragms are generally
loaded with distributed loads.
• The example here is more closely
associated with wind loading.
The Building
Tributary Areas
 Loadings for Roof Diaphragm
• The upper “beam”
diagram is for loading in
the “2” direction.
• The lower “beam”
diagram is for loading in
the “1” direction.
• The distributed loads
equal the pressure times
the tributary height of
the exposed area.
• The unit shears equal the
“beam” reaction divided
by the length of the
edge.
 Loadings for Floor Diaphragm
• Note that the unit
shears at the ends of
the diaphragm are the
result of the interaction
with the shear walls
that are providing
lateral support for the
diaphragm.
• These forces are
transferred to the shear
walls.
Elements for Direction 1
 Idealized Diagram for Dir. 1
• Green arrows are unit
shears at edge of roof
diaphragm.
• Yellow arrows are unit
shears at edge of floor
diaphragm.
• Shear in upper part of
shear wall is from roof
diaphragm only.
• Shear (red arrows )in
lower part of shear wall
includes both horizontal
diaphragms.
Shear Wall Free Body Diagram
Elements for Direction 2
 Idealized Diagram for Dir. 2
• Green arrows are unit
shears at edge of roof
diaphragm.
• Yellow arrows are unit
shears at edge of floor
diaphragm.
• Shear in upper part of
shear wall is from roof
diaphragm only.
• Shear (red arrows )in
lower part of shear
wall includes both
horizontal diaphragms.
Shear Wall Free Body Diagram
 Diaphragms are Beams
• Like beams, diaphragms carry loads in bending.
• Wood diaphragms are considered to be simply
supported.
• This results in both internal bending moment and
shear.
• The diaphragm can be considered to be similar to
a wide flange beam where the flanges (diaphragm
chords) take all the bending and the web (the
plywood sheathing) takes all the shear.
• In diaphragms, the shear force is expressed in
terms of “unit shear”.
Diaphragm Forces in Dir. 1

• Unit shear, v, equals the shear force, V, at

a location along the span divided by the
depth of the diaphragm at that location.
• Moment is taken by chord forces whose
magnitudes equal the Moment at a
particular location divided by the
diaphragm depth at the same location.
Diaphragm Forces in Dir. 2

• The diaphragm must be

analyzed and designed to
handle the forces in both
principle directions.
 Maximum Diaphragm Ratios
1988 UBC
• UBC Table 25-I - Rules of Thumb used to
control diaphragm deflections.
• If the span to width ratios are too large, then
the diaphragm is not stiff enough to transfer
the forces without significant deflection.
• Deflection is a function of beam bending,
shear deflection, nail slip in diaphragm and
slip in chord connections.
 Shear Capacity of Horizontal
Wood Diaphragms
1988 UBC
• UBC Table 25-J-1
• Shear capacity depends on the following design variables:
– supporting member species
– plywood grade
– nail size (and penetration)
– plywood thickness (normally selected for vert. loads)
– support widths
– nail spacing
– blocking
– layup
 Some Definitions
• Nailing:
– Boundary nailing: Nailing at all intersections
with shear walls. (parallel to direction of force.)
– Edge nailing: nailing along any other
supported plywood edge.
– Field nailing: nailing along supports but not at
a plywood edge.
• Layup cases (See UBC Table 25-J-1)
Nailing Definitions
 Chord Design
• The chords are axial force
members that generally have
full lateral support in both
principle directions.
• The top plates of the supporting
walls are generally used as the
chord members.
• Due to the reversing nature of
the loads being resisted, the
chord forces are considered to
be both tension and
compression.
• Design as an axial force
member.