Bibliography on Wood and Plywood Diaphragms

Since wood is becoming more important in structural design, and since many engineers are not familiar with its design, this bibliography was primarily prepared to assist the practicing engineer. Secondly, since the practice of diaphragm design is still developing, it also includes background and supplementary data for use by engineers and researchers. Abstracts are included to illustrate coverage and importance of the literature listed. A structural shear diaphragm is defined as a relatively thin building element in which the covering resists shear stresses, like the web of a deep beam, with perimeter members performing the function of flanges and stiffeners. Wood is becoming more important as a structural material for several reasons: (1) It is economical; (2) it is often more readily available than steel and concrete; (3) it requires less energy than either concrete or steel to convert it to usable form; and (4) it is our only naturally renewable construction material.