Horizontal Stabilisation of Sheathed Timber Frame Structures Using Plastic Design Methods – Introducing a Handbook Part 2: Design of Joints and Anchoring Devices

Abstract In this part 2, the practical design and strength of a number of different joints is described: (1) Sheathing-to-framing joints – the plastic design method is based on the premise that the load-displacement relationship of the sheathing-to-framing joints has sufficiently large plastic deformation capacity; the sheathing-to-framing joints have great influence on the load-carrying capacity of the wall; (2) Stud-to-rail joints – by utilizing the shear capacity of the stud-to-rail joints, the plastic design method can be simplified and the load-carrying capacity can be increased; (3) Hold down devices for the (leading) stud – the capacity of the tying down force of the hold down determines whether the shear wall will act as fully or partially anchored; tying down the shear walls by connecting them to the transverse walls leads to a 3-dimensioonal behaviour that is a very favourable for the load-carrying capacity and the stiffness of the shear wall; through transverse walls the anchoring of the leading stud can be reduced or eliminated (those types of transverse wall connections are not discussed in detail in this paper); and (4) Anchoring devices for the bottom rail – in partially anchored shear walls it is necessary that the bottom rail is anchored to the substrate against uplift. Characteristic values for the different types of joints are given. Also, joints between the panels in the walls, roofs and floors are described briefly.