Systems, Methods and Apparatus for Forming a Wooden Construction Shear Wall

Abstract

A system and method of forming a wooden shear wall including a framed wall section having multiple framing members including a first and second end posts, a center post framing member, a mudsill bottom plate coupled to a bottom end of the framing members and a top plate coupled to a top end of the framing members. Two plywood panels are fastened to a first side of the framed wall section with a ductile metal gauge strap, ductile metal gauge strap securing adjacent edges of the plywood panels to the center post and multiple metal gauge straps, disposed along the edges of the plywood panels secure the edges of the plywood panels to the framed wall section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shear wall system comprising:
 a framed wall section including:
 a plurality of framing members including a first end post and a second end post and at least one vertical framing member disposed between the first end post and the second end post; 
 a mudsill plate coupled to a bottom end of the plurality of framing members; and 
 a double top plate coupled to a top end of the plurality of framing members, the top end being opposite from the bottom end; 
   at least one plywood panel fastened to a first side of the framed wall section with a first metal gauge strap, the first metal gauge strap being disposed along a first edge of the plywood panel, the first metal gauge strap having a plurality of holes and being secured to the plywood panel and a first portion of the framed wall section by a first plurality of nails passing through the plurality of holes, the plywood panel and at least a portion of the framed wall section; and   a second plurality of nails securing a central portion of the plywood panel to the at least one vertical framing member, wherein the second plurality of nails are installed at about 6 inches on center.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second metal gauge strap disposed vertically down a center portion of the plywood. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a center post disposed central and parallel to the first and second end posts and wherein the at least one plywood panel includes two plywood panels, the two plywood panels having corresponding adjacent edges disposed over the center post and wherein the second metal gauge strap spans across the adjacent edges of the two plywood panels. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a ductile metal gauge strap disposed vertically down a center of the plywood. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a center post disposed central and parallel to the first and second end posts and wherein the at least one plywood panel includes two plywood panels, the two plywood panels having corresponding adjacent middle edges disposed over the center post and wherein the ductile metal gauge strap spans across the adjacent edges of the two plywood panels. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the ductile metal gauge strap includes a plurality of cutouts. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of cutouts have a substantially triangular shape. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of cutouts are disposed to alternate in orientation to form a plurality of diagonal web sections. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of diagonal web sections have a width of between 0.2 inches and 0.6 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of cutouts are disposed offset and alternating across a width of the ductile metal gauge strap. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of cutouts have a width equal to 50 percent of a width of the ductile metal gauge strap. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second metal gauge strap being disposed along a second edge of the plywood panel;   a third metal gauge strap being disposed along a top edge of the plywood panel; and   a fourth metal gauge strap being disposed along a bottom edge of the plywood panel.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first metal gauge strap has a width of between 1.5 inches and 3 inches. 
     
     
         14 . A shear wall system comprising:
 a framed wall section including:
 a plurality of framing members including:
 a first end post; 
 a second end post 
 a center post disposed centrally between the first post and the second end post 
 at least one first vertical framing member disposed between the first end post and the center post; 
 at least one second vertical framing member disposed between the second end post and the center post; 
 
 a mudsill plate coupled to a bottom end of the plurality of framing members; and 
 a double top plate coupled to a top end of the plurality of framing members, the top end being opposite from the bottom end; 
   a first plywood panel disposed on a first side of the framed wall section, wherein the first plywood panel is secured to the first end post, the center post, the double top plate and the mudsill plate;   a second plywood panel disposed on the first side of the framed wall section, wherein the second plywood panel is secured to the second end post, the center post, the double top plate and the mudsill plate and wherein the second plywood panel includes a second plywood panel middle edge disposed adjacent to a first plywood panel middle edge of the first plywood panel;   a ductile metal gauge strap spanning across the adjacent first middle edge and second middle edge, the ductile metal gauge strap being secured to the first plywood panel, the second plywood panel and the center post by a first plurality of nails;   a second plurality of nails securing a central portion of the first plywood panel to the at least one first vertical framing member, wherein the second plurality of nails are installed at about 6 inches on center; and   a third plurality of nails securing a central portion of the second plywood panel to the at least one second vertical framing member, wherein the third plurality of nails are installed at about 6 inches on center.   
     
     
         15 . A method of constructing a shear wall comprising:
 building a framed wall section including a plurality of vertical framing members and a center post disposed between and secured to a top plate and a bottom plate;   securing a first plywood panel to a first side of the framed wall section;   securing a second plywood panel to a first side of the framed wall section; wherein the first plywood panel has a first middle edge and the second plywood panel has a second middle edge disposed adjacent to the first middle edge; and   securing a ductile metal gauge strap disposed along a length of the first middle edge and spanning across the first middle edge and the second middle edge, wherein a first plurality of nails secure the ductile metal gauge strap through the first plywood panel and the second plywood panel and into the center post.