Can I model proprietary shear resisting wall systems with different rigidities on the same shearline?
Distribution of shear to shear lines based on the “rigidity” of the various shear lines is only relevant when the diaphragm is “rigid enough” (see building code for this definition). Flexible diaphragm analysis assumes that shear is distributed only by tributary area and therefore the force allocated to each shearline is not affected by a proprietary wall section. By default for rigid diaphragm analysis (see WoodWorks® Settings/Design menu for other options) WoodWorks® approximates the “rigidity” of each shearline with its “capacity”, or strength x length, instead of using deflection to calculate the actual rigidity. Using the capacity method is recognized as a legitmate alternative in the 2000 IBC Structural/Seismic Design Manual – Volume 2, p67, Published by Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC) and edited by the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO). Once the shear is allocated to a shear line, however, the shear force can be distributed to each shea
