Splitting capacity of bottom rail in partially anchored timber frame shear walls with single-sided sheathing

Abstract

Plastic design methods can be used for determining the load-carrying capacity of partially anchored shear walls, where hold-downs are not provided. In order to use these methods, a ductile behaviour of the sheathing-to-framing joints must be ensured. Since the forces in the anchor bolts and the sheathing-to-framing joints do not act in the same vertical plane, the bottom rail will be subjected to bending and shear in the crosswise direction, and splitting of the bottom rail may occur. In this article, results of two experimental programmes on the splitting capacity of the bottom rail due to uplift in partially anchored shear walls are presented. Two brittle failure modes occurred during testing: (1) a crack opening from the bottom surface of the bottom rail; and (2) a crack opening from the edge surface of the bottom rail along the line of the sheathing-to-framing joints. The results show that the distance between the edge of the washer and the loaded edge of the bottom rail has a decisive influence on th...