Residential Shear Wall Design for Wind: 8 ft × 8 ft per SDPWS 4.1.4.2

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Residential Shear Wall Design for Wind: 8 ft × 8 ft per SDPWS 4.1.4.2

Summary: Design an 8×8 ft wood-frame shear wall for 2,500 lb wind load per SDPWS Table 4.3A and Va = Vn/2.0 for wind (§4.1.4.2). Free shear wall design…

Overview

Building / scenario

  • Occupancy / use: Residential (Risk Category II)
  • Geometry / size: 8 ft × 8 ft shear wall
  • Site / exposure: ASCE 7-22

Problem statement

In a residential building (Risk Category II), a wood-frame shear wall resists wind. Given: wall height h = 8 ft; wall length (width) b = 8 ft; lateral wind force at top of wall line W = 2,500 lb (from ASCE 7 MWFRS or diaphragm design—typical for single-story 24 ft × 32 ft building); dead load on wall 50 plf (uniform, wall self-weight plus tributary floor/roof). Aspect ratio h/b = 1.0 (no reduction per SDPWS §4.3.3). Check whether the wall has adequate capacity for wind, select sheathing and fasteners per SDPWS Table 4.3A, and size hold-down. Va = Vn/2.0 for wind per §4.1.4.2.

Workflow in StructSuite

StructSuite's free shear wall design tool applies SDPWS 2021 Table 4.3A (nominal Vn), §4.1.4.2 (wind Va = Vn/2.0), §4.3.3 (aspect ratio), Eq 4.3-7 (boundary forces T, C). Step 1 Geometry: enter Height 8 ft, Length 8 ft. Step 3 Loads: enter W — Wind (lb) = 2,500; add gravity load Type D, 50 plf. Step 2 Sheathing: in Table 4.3A select row (e.g., Wood Structural Panels - Sheathing, 15/32 in., 8d common) and column (6 in. edge). Step 4 Boundary Members & Hold-Downs: select hold-down model. Design Verification shows capacity check.

Design considerations (excerpt)

Aspect ratio h/b controls both shear capacity and overturning. Low h/b (e.g., 8×8 gives h/b=1) means stiffer wall, no SDPWS §4.3.3.2 reduction. Tall narrow walls (h/b > 2) require capacity factor 1.25 − 0.125(h/b). Wider walls (larger b) increase capacity linearly and reduce hold-down tension. For residential single-story, 8×8 ft to 10×10 ft is typical for garage or end walls.

Wind load magnitude drives both shear demand and overturning. Higher W requires tighter nail spacing or thicker sheathing. For a 24×32 ft single-story residential, diaphragm distributes ~1,500–3,000 lb to a typical end wall. Coastal and Exposure C/D zones see 2–3× higher pressures than inland B. Risk Category II…

Related terms

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

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