High-strength shear wall sheathing with pre-formed fastener holes

Abstract

A sheet of high-strength shear wall sheathing with preformed fastener holes ( 10 ) is disclosed as a steel sheet ( 12 ) with uniformly spaced fastener holes ( 14 ) dispersed along the boundary of the sheet. Such a sheet can readily be handled and quickly attached to the framework of buildings for the purpose of bracing wall structures in a single wall sheathing procedure.

1 . A building shear wall structure for accommodating in-plane or shear loads imposed on the wall structure comprising:
 a plurality of framing studs forming part of the building;
 a plurality of high-strength shear wall sheathing sheets, each sheet of high-strength shear wall sheathing comprising only one thin sheet of high strength material with pre-formed holes dispersed along the boundary of the sheet; and 
   securing means for attaching the sheets of high-strength shear wall sheathing to the framing studs such that the thin sheet of high strength material sits directly against the framing studs, the thin sheet of high strength material having properties at least as great as a steel sheet having a thickness within the range of 0.006 and 0.249 inches and having a tensile strength of at least 20000 pounds per square inch, the thin sheet of high strength material being capable of resisting anticipated in-plane or shear loads imposed on the shear wall structure due to environmental conditions such as wind and earthquakes.   
   
   
       2 . The sheet of high-strength shear wall sheathing of  claim 1  wherein the thin sheet of high strength material is a metal. 
   
   
       3 . The sheet of high-strength shear wall sheathing of  claim 2  wherein the metal is steel. 
   
   
       4 . The sheet of high-strength shear wall sheathing of  claim 3  wherein the steel sheet is bent 180 degrees onto itself along the boundary of the sheet. 
   
   
       5 . The sheet of high-strength shear wall sheathing of  claim 2  wherein the metal is aluminum. 
   
   
       6 . The sheet of high-strength shear wall sheathing of  claim 1  wherein the thin sheet of high strength material is a plastic. 
   
   
       7 . The pre-formed holes of  claim 1  wherein the holes are dispersed along the boundary of the sheet in a single line. 
   
   
       8 . The pre-formed holes of  claim 1  wherein the holes are dispersed along the boundary of the sheet in two lines. 
   
   
       9 . The pre-formed holes of  claim 1  wherein the holes are dispersed along the boundary of the sheet in three lines. 
   
   
       10 . The sheet of high-strength shear wall sheathing of  claim 3  wherein the steel sheet has a thickness within the range of 0.006 and 0.249 inches. 
   
   
       11 . The sheet of high-strength shear wall sheathing of  claim 5  wherein the aluminum sheet has a thickness within the range of 0.006 and 0.249 inches. 
   
   
       12 . The shear wall structure of  claim 1  wherein the securing means comprises screws. 
   
   
       13 . The shear wall structure of  claim 1  wherein the securing means comprises nails. 
   
   
       14 . A building shear wall structure for accommodating in-plane or shear loads imposed on the wall structure comprising:
 a plurality of framing studs forming part of the building;
 a plurality of high-strength shear wall sheathing sheets, each sheet of high-strength shear wall sheathing comprising only one thin steel sheet having a thickness within the range of 0.006 and 0.249 inches and having a tensile strength of at least 20000 pounds per square inch; and 
   a plurality of fasteners extending through the high-strength shear wall sheathing and into the framing studs so that the steel sheets sit flush against the framing studs, each steel sheet being capable of resisting in-plane or shear loads anticipated to be imposed on the shear wall due to wind and earthquakes.   
   
   
       15 . The shear wall structure of  claim 14  wherein the fasteners are screws. 
   
   
       16 . The shear wall structure of  claim 14  wherein the fasteners are nails. 
   
   
       17 . A building shear wall structure for accommodating in-plane or shear loads imposed on the wall structure comprising:
 a plurality of framing studs forming part of the building;
 a plurality of high-strength shear wall sheathing sheets, each sheet of high-strength shear wall sheathing comprising only one thin aluminum sheet having a thickness within the range of 0.006 and 0.249 inches and having a tensile strength of at least 20000 pounds per square inch; and 
   a plurality of fasteners extending through the high-strength shear wall sheathing and into the framing studs so that the aluminum sheets sit flush against the framing studs, each aluminum sheet being capable of resisting in-plane or shear loads anticipated to be imposed on the shear wall due to wind and earthquakes.   
   
   
       18 . The shear wall structure of  claim 17  wherein the fasteners are screws. 
   
   
       19 . The shear wall structure of  claim 17  wherein the fasteners are nails.