SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1957
STP38760S

Report on U. S. Forest Products Laboratory Tests of Full-Size Structural Diaphragms

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Surveys of damage resulting from earthquakes and hurricanes showed that wood structures performed well. As a result, engineers and architects have shown increased interest in wood structures. A demand was created for more data on the behavior of wood diaphragms so that wood structures could be better engineered. Twenty-five years ago tests of diaphragms were started to meet that demand (1). Those tests were made on models of timber walls. Later, other tests were made on 15 one-fourth scale models of 20 by 60-ft panels by the Oregon Forest Products Laboratory (2). Tests of models, however, did not furnish adequate information, primarily because there is no satisfactory method for correlating the results with fullscale structures. The fastenings at joints cannot be accurately scaled down and, therefore, are not comparable to those made with members fastened with fullsize nails or other fastenings.

Author Information

Johnson, RPA
U. S. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wis.
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Details
Developed by Committee: D07
Pages: 21–30
DOI: 10.1520/STP38760S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5604-3
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-5603-6