This Interim Report of the research project "Improved prediction of seismic resistance of Part 9 Houses" under the CMHC External Research Program presents a detailed literature review of research relevant to lateral resistance of conventional wood-frame construction and an assessment of three mechanics-based methods for calculating lateral capacity.
The relative performance of the three mechanics-based methods is ascertained by comparing the test data of lateral capacities of partially restrained wall specimens having window openings with the predicted results from the calculation methods. Method 1 by Ni and Karacabeyli (2000, 2002) is the simplest to use and gave the most conservative results; Method 2 by Källsner et al., (2001, 2002) is less conservative but more complicated, and Method 3 by Källsner and Gurhammar (2005, 2006) gives non-conservative results.
In the next phase of the project, these mechanics-based methods will be further calibrated against pertinent shake table results from the recent UBC "Earthquake 99" project and from the Forintek – Tongji University tests of conventional wood-frame construction. They will then be employed in the determination of the seismic response of houses as prescribed by the seismic part of the Engineering Guide for Wood Frame Construction published by the Canadian Wood Council.