System effects in T-shaped timber shear walls: effects of transverse walls, diaphragms, and axial loading under seismic loading: Supplementary Material

This project explores the impact of transverse shear walls (TSW), diaphragm out-of-plane bending stiffness (FDIA), and axial loading (AXL) on the lateral dynamics of strong wood-frame shear walls (SWs) in multi-story light frame timber buildings (LFTBs) in highly seismic areas. Through experimental tests, it examines SW-to-TSW connection requirements for optimal TSW effects in non-planar SWs and assesses the lateral cyclic behavior of T-shaped SW assemblies, with a focus on both slotted and screwed connections for SW-to-TSW, highlighting the slotted connection's superior performance. The study finds TSWs significantly enhance stiffness and strength, albeit at the expense of deformation capacity, a limitation mitigated by FDIA and AXL. Diaphragms contribute to symmetrical responses and better overall performance, as evidenced in numerical models showing substantial reductions in lateral drift and uplift in T-shaped versus planar SWs, underlining the critical role of system effects in seismic LFTB design. Supplementary materials related to this research have been uploaded to the data deposit accompanying the published paper.