Abstract
As part of an investigation to reduce seismic damage to partition walls and other finishes in light-frame residential buildings, twenty full-scale gypsum-sheathed walls, built with wood and cold-formed steel framing members, were tested. The experiments investigated the effects of enhanced, inexpensive construction procedures with the objective to increase the racking strength and stiffness of partition-type shear walls, lessening seismic deformations. The stiffness, strength, and damage progression of the specimens with varying wall length, openings, orthogonal wall returns, tie-down and anchoring configurations, and interior and exterior sheathings are reported in this thesis. Iterative tests of specific interior wall geometries determined the optimal construction techniques required to reduce deformations and improve life-cycle performance. The main improvement to these specimens over typical construction was the use of construction adhesive and mechanical fasteners to attach the sheathing to the framing. Additional enhancements included mid-height blocking, improved corner stud assemblies, properly sized tie downs at the ends of wall segments, and bent straps on the exterior of planar wood-framed walls. The stiffness, strength, and residual capacity of specimens with orthogonal walls increased as compared to specimens with in-plane-only shear walls.