Experimental Cyclic Performance of Viscoelastic Gypsum Connections and Shear Walls
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 134, Issue 1
Abstract
The shear capacity of gypsum sheathed shear walls is typically neglected in areas of high seismicity due to the susceptibility of conventional drywall screw connections to damage caused by earthquakes. This paper presents an alternative to the conventional screwed sheathing connection found in wood-framed gypsum shear walls. A viscoelastic (VE) polymer was inserted between the sheathing and the stud framing. A sheathing connection study and shear wall study were performed, and the results of the VE connection show a dramatic increase in stiffness and energy dissipation over the conventional screwed connection. Energy dissipation increases 632% for the sheathing connection and 510% for the shear wall. Stiffness of the shear wall also improves. The VE polymer improves structural performance while resisting damage when subjected to shear displacements up to by providing a constant source of energy dissipation. This new VE sheathing connection may allow for weak or nonstructural materials, such as gypsum wallboard, to be used as structural elements for design purposes while reducing the risk of costly damages during seismic events.
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Acknowledgments
This work was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (Grant No. NSFCMS-0229724). The writers would like to thank Meredith Suelau, an undergraduate of Villanova University, and Gary Wenczel of the University of Delaware for their efforts and expertise in conducting the experiments.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 134 • Issue 1 • January 2008
Pages: 87 - 95
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Jun 7, 2006
Accepted: Aug 11, 2006
Published online: Jan 1, 2008
Published in print: Jan 2008
Notes
Note. Associate Editor: Reginald DesRoches
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