Ricerc@Sapienza

The seismic performance of timber shear walls is studied in this work, with focus on the energy dissipation ensured by sheathing-to-framing connections. Numerical non-linear analyses are carried out using a parametric numerical model developed in OpenSees and varying some basic design variables affecting the overall racking capacity of the wall, namely: aspect ratio, nails spacing and number of vertical studs. The equivalent viscous damping has been assessed by estimating the damping factor η through the Capacity Spectrum Method.

This contribution illustrates the main features of an original parametric Finite Element (FE) model developed using OpenSEES in order to study the response of timber light-frame shear walls under earthquake. Within the proposed FE model, the framing system and the sheathing panel are modeled as elastic elements while the connections are simulated through zero-length non-linear elements. In particular, it is assumed that the overall nonlinear seismic response of the wall rests on the cyclic behavior of the connections.

The seismic performance of timber light-frame shear walls is investigated in this paper with a focus on energy dissipation and ductility ensured by sheathing-to-framing connections. An original parametric finite element model has been developed in order to perform sensitivity analyses. The model considers the design variables affecting the racking load-carrying capacity of the wall. These variables include aspect ratio (height-to-width ratio), fastener spacing, number of vertical studs and framing elements cross-section size.

We propose a one-equation turbulence model based on a modified closure relation for the length scale of turbulence. The proposed model is able to adequately represent the energy dissipation due to the wave breaking and does not need any criterion to a priori locate the wave breaking point and the region in which the turbulence model has to be activated.