Numerical analysis of the influence of fastener disposition on the behaviour of timber-framed walls with wood-based sheathing boards

This paper provides numerical analysis of the influence of fastener disposition on the behaviour of timber-framed walls, coated with single wood-based sheathing boards fastened to a timber frame. As the walls under a horizontal load actually behave like a deep composite beam, the disposition of the fasteners is very important and directly influences the bearing capacity, as well as the stiffness of the wall. This analysis is done on a special semi-analytical mathematical model that is based on a composite cantilever using the so-called “γ-method” in dependence of any possible spacing between the fasteners. It is demonstrated that the lateral stresses acting on one fastener usually reach the yielding point before any crack appears in the sheathing boards and the normal stresses in the timber frame are rather under the characteristic timber strength for any spacing between the fasteners. The obtained numerical results are supported with the measured ones from our previous experimental study.