Effects of Pressure Equalization on the Performance of Residential Wall Systems under Extreme Wind Loads
Publication: Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 4
Abstract
During strong windstorms, sheathing and siding on residential, wood-framed, wall systems have commonly failed. In the current study, a clear difference is observed in the rate of failure occurrence for wall sheathing above or below the eaves. This observation can be explained from tests examining ultimate capacities and pressure equalization of both single- and multilayer residential, wood-framed, wall systems using realistic fluctuating loads. The results indicate that pressure equalization is a critical parameter in the performance of both the cladding and exterior sheathing. With interior sheathing included, significant pressure equalization was observed to occur across the exterior sheathing, because pressure equalization is observed to increase with load (and damage) levels. This substantially increases the ultimate capacity of these wall systems; however, the construction details of the various exterior layers play an important role in the levels of pressure equalization across each layer.
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Acknowledgments
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company provided the funding for this research. The authors gratefully acknowledge many useful and interesting discussions with Mr. Larry Stevig and Mr. Eric Haefli and to Ms. Rose Grant for providing the data (photographs) for the damage survey analysis. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the help provided by Mr. Andrew Klazinga, Mr. Randy van Straaten and Mr. Curtis Williams in conducting some of the experiments and to Mr. Chris Vandelaar of University Machine Services who constructed the test apparatus. Some of the equipment used in this project was provided by grants from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and Ontario Innovation Trust. G.A. Kopp gratefully acknowledges the support provided by the Canada Research Chair Program.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Structural Engineering
Volume 138 • Issue 4 • April 2012
Pages: 526 - 538
Copyright
© 2012. American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 7, 2011
Accepted: Aug 2, 2011
Published online: Aug 5, 2011
Published in print: Apr 1, 2012
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