Behavior of wood shear walls subjected to nonlinear cyclic loading

Nails have been the primary connector type used to fasten wood sheathing to wood frames, which are designed to resist the lateral loads on the structure. Numerous tests have been conducted using monotonic and cyclic loading protocols to determine strength and behavior properties of wood shear walls that have been fastened with pneumatic and hand driven nails. Pneumatic nailers now make it possible to use staples as a connector in wood shear walls. However, there has been only one set of tests conducted on this type of wall to determine their strength and behavior. Staple strength and behavior patterns have been examined, and based on those relationships allowable design loads for stapled shear walls were developed. This research paper reports the tests done on a total of 12 shear wall panels with four groups of panels consisting of 3 foot, 4 foot, 8 foot, and 12 foot lengths in each group. The frames of each panel were hand nailed together. The sheathing was then attached to the frames with staples. Each panel tested had test variations, which was expected to improve the strength of the panel and increase the ductility of the panel as it was pushed beyond its linear range. The panels were tested using a cyclic loading protocol based on displacement, which was developed by the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California, and is required by the ICBO for acceptance of wood shear wall panel strength parameters.