Wood Shear Wall Design: Wind and Seismic Governing Load per SDPWS

Back to NotesBack to Dashboard

Wood Shear Wall Design: Wind and Seismic Governing Load per SDPWS

Summary: Design a 12 ft × 16 ft wood-frame shear wall for combined wind and seismic per SDPWS Table 4.3A, §4.1.4, and §4.3.5.5.1. Free shear wall design…

Overview

Building / scenario

  • Occupancy / use: Commercial, SDC C
  • Geometry / size: 12 ft × 16 ft
  • Site / exposure: ASCE 7-22

Problem statement

In a commercial building in SDC C, a 12 ft × 16 ft shear wall is subject to both wind and seismic. Wind lateral force = 4,000 lb, seismic = 3,500 lb. Dead load is 80 plf. Wind uses Va = Vn/2.0 (SDPWS 4.1.4.2); seismic uses Va = Vn/2.8 (4.1.4.1). Design the wall for the governing case—select sheathing that satisfies the larger demand.

Workflow in StructSuite

StructSuite's free shear wall design calculator applies SDPWS 2021 Table 4.3A (nominal unit shear Vn), §4.1.4.1 (seismic Va = Vn/2.8), and §4.1.4.2 (wind Va = Vn/2.0). It checks aspect ratio per §4.3.3 and computes boundary forces T and C per Eq 4.3-7. Enter geometry, loads, and sheathing; select hold-down in Step 4. The software evaluates both wind and seismic and shows the governing check.

Design considerations (excerpt)

Low h/b = 0.75 (12×16 ft) gives stiff wall, no aspect-ratio reduction. Commercial buildings often have larger walls. Wider b increases shear capacity and reduces overturning; taller h increases both demand and overturning. For SDC C commercial, either wind or seismic can govern—depends on building location and height.

Wind uses Va = Vn/2.0; seismic uses Va = Vn/2.8. The governing case is whichever has higher demand/capacity ratio, not higher absolute force. In SDC C (moderate seismicity), coastal or tall buildings: wind may govern. Inland, shorter: seismic may govern. Check both—design for the critical one.

80 plf commercial = heavier roof, possibly floor loads, taller walls. Higher D…

Related terms

  • StructSuite
  • structural engineering
  • design example
  • shear wall
  • SDPWS
  • single wall wind and seismic

Open the live example

Use the interactive, read-only wizard: Open this example in StructSuite (pre-filled inputs and step-by-step UI).