Pseudodynamic tests and earthquake response analysis of timber structures I: Plywood-sheathed conventional wooden walls with opening

Abstract

Pseudodynamic (PSD) lateral loading tests were conducted on conventional post and beam timber frames with plywood-sheathed shear walls to validate the dynamic model of wall panels, each with an opening of a different configuration. The lateral forces were applied step by step at the top of the wooden frames by the computer-controlled actuator, and the displacement response for the next step was computed on the basis of the input accelerogram of the 1940 El Centro earthquake scaled up to 0.4g. The test results were compared with those of the lumped mass time-history earthquake response analysis using the hysteresis model with pinching. The results of the dynamic analysis with this global model consisting of the envelope curves, unloading and reloading with pinching agreed well with the experimental results of the PSD tests of this type of earthquake record. Some parametric studies may be necessary, however, to validate the model with different earthquake records. The hysteretical parameters obtained in this study showed similar values for each of the wall panels with different opening configurations. This makes it possible to use the model and parameters for the plywood-sheathed shear walls to estimate the dynamic behavior of entire structures without conducting expensive PSD tests or shaking table tests. © The Japan Wood Research Society 2006.