FTAO Analysis for Complex Shear Wall Openings

Featuring Terry Malone, PE, SE, WoodWorks

Current methods of Force Transfer Around Openings (FTAO) analysis only allow for openings of the same height in exterior shear walls. However, today’s penchant for more openings of different sizes requires a more flexible method that allows for more complex wall layouts. The original method of FTAO analysis was developed by Edward Diekmann in the early 1980s, and other approaches have since been developed, modified and simplified based on his original method and full-scale testing.

This presentation will demonstrate another modification to FTAO analysis that will allow complex shear wall opening configurations, accommodating the addition of gravity loads, shorter tie straps, and any combination of opening heights using the transfer diaphragm approach.

Location:: Online
Date/Time:: May 10, 2023 | 1:00-2:30 pm EST
Credits:: Earn 1.5 AIA/CES HSW LUs, 1.5 PDH credits or 0.15 ICC credits

Speaker

Terry Malone, PE, SE, Senior Technical Director, Mass Timber, WoodWorks

Terry Malone is a licensed civil and structural engineer in the State of Washington and Senior Technical Director of Project Resources and Solutions Division. Prior to joining WoodWorks, he was a principal in consulting structural engineering firms in Washington and Oregon and also conducted third party structural plan reviews. He also served as a faculty member at St. Martin’s College (University) in Lacey, Washington. Terry has over 40 years of wood design experience and has taken an active role as a presenter providing seminars at state and local ICC chapters and professional engineering organizations with focus on understanding lateral force resisting systems. Terry is author of The Analysis of Irregular Shaped Structures: Wood Diaphragms and Shear Walls, published by McGraw-Hill, ICC SKGA, and ICC.