Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Light-Wood-Framed Shear Walls Strengthened with Parallel Strand Bamboo Panels

This paper describes experimental and numerical investigations on a new type of strengthened light-wood-framed (LWF) shear wall (SW) that has parallel strand bamboo (PSB) panels at each end. The experiments are divided into two parts: (1) monotonic loading tests of panel-to-frame joints representing different positions along the wall; (2) monotonic loading tests of a group of traditional full-scale SWs and two groups of strengthened walls with nailed or screwed PSB panels. The failure modes, load–displacement curves, ultimate bearing capacity, elastic stiffness, and dissipation are analyzed, and the mechanical properties of panel-to-frame joints and the lateral performance of SWs are discussed. Moreover, nonlinear finite-element analysis shows that the numerical results are in good agreement with the test results. Our findings suggest that using LWF SWs strengthened with nailed PSB panels effectively improves the failure mode and the ductility, stiffness, and dissipation of traditional walls. Using sheathing screws on the PSB panels increases the lateral bearing capacity and the dissipation of the walls, but decreases their ductility ratio. Setting end PSB panels improves the overturning resistance capacity by restricting the uplift of studs. The LWF SWs strengthened with end PSB panels are found to meet the design requirements and reduce construction costs.