Objectives
Upon completion of this module, you will be better able to:
• Discuss intermittent panel methods
• Explain method wood structural panel, method structural fiberboard sheathing, and method gypsum board.
• Describe alternate braced wall panels, portal frames with hold-downs, and portal frames at the garage.
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Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Method WSP – Wood Structural Panel 3/8" min. thickness
Wood structural panel defined in R604
8' to 12'
4' min.
Table R602.3(3)
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Method SFB – Structural Fiberboard Sheathing 1/2" or 25/32" thick
Studs spaced 16" o.c. max.
Must conform to ASTM C 208
Nailing 3" o.c. edge, 6" o.c. field
8' to 12'
4' min. Table R602.10.4
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Method SFB – Structural Fiberboard Sheathing
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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4' min.
Method GB – Gypsum Board
1/2" min. thick for studs
spaced 24" o.c. max.
4' minimum length
Nailing at 7" o.c.
Bracing length:
Single sided =
0.5 x actual length
Double sided =
1x actual length
No floating corners!
8' to 12'
Table R602.10.4
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Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
Table R602.10.5 Minimum length for braced wall panels
48″ to 58″
BWP
BWP
Height
BWP Length Minimum Length of BWPs
Table R602.10.5
Method (See Table R602.10.4)
Minimum Lengtha (inches) Contributing
Length (inches) Wall Height
8 ft. 9 ft. 10 ft. 11 ft. 12 ft.
DWB, WSP, SFB, PBS, PCP, HPS, BV-WSP
48 48 48 53 58 Actualb
GB 48 48 48 53 58
Double sided = Actual
Single sided = 0.5 × Actual
LIB 55 62 69 NP NP Actualb
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Table R602.10.5.2 Effective length of braced panels less than 48"
For Methods
DWB, WSP, SFB, PBS, PCP, HPS
Actual
Length
Effective Length of BWP
8' 9' 10'
48" 48" 48" 48"
42" 36" 36" N/A
36" 27" N/A N/A
27" to 48"
BWP
BWP
Height
BWP Length Partial Credit for Narrow BWPs
R602.10.5.2
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Method ABW - Alternate Braced Wall Equivalent to 48" panel
For use on bottom story only
Minimum length varies with SDC and height
Nailing:
Single story – 6" o.c. max
Bottom of two story – 4" o.c. max
Minimum hold-down capacity changes with SDC and height
R602.10.6.1, Table R602.10.4
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Length
Height
Method ABW - Alternate Braced Wall
Table R602.10.5
Minimum ABW Length
Wall Height (ft.)
8 9 10 11 12
SDC A-C 28 32 34 38 42
SDC D0-D2 32 32 34 NP NP
Table R602.10.5 Minimum length for braced wall panels (excerpt)
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Min. 3/8" thick wood structural panel sheathing
#4 bars top and bottom for bracing 12" x 12" min. footing
Anchor bolts 1/2" (2) with round washer
Hold-down capacity per Table R602.10.6.1
Wind
8' to 12'
SDC C, D0, D1
and D2
8' to 10'
Figure R602.10.6.1
Method ABW - Alternate Braced Wall
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Design Category
and Wind Speed
Supporting
/Story
Hold Down Force (pounds)
Height of Braced Wall Panel
8 feet 9 feet 10 feet 11 feet 12 feet
SDC A, B
and C
Wind speed
< 110 mph
One story 1,800 1,800 1,800 2,000 2,200
First of two
stories 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,300 3,600
SDC D0, D1 and D2
Wind speed
< 110 mph
One story 1,800 1,800 1,800 NP NP
First of two
stories 3,000 3,000 3,000 NP NP
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
Method ABW - Alternate Braced Wall
Table R602.10.6.1 Minimum Hold-down Forces For Method ABW Panels
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Method PFH – Intermittent Portal Frame 16" min panel length for 1-story, 24" min for 2-story
Header 2' min. to 18' max.
Each vertical panel replaces a 48" braced wall panel
Extended header 16" or
24" min.
8' to 10'
R602.10.6.2, Table R602.10.5
PF
H
PF
H
PF
H
Opening Opening
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Min. 3/8" thick wood structural panel
(1) 5/8" anchor bolt with 2x2 washer
10' Max.
Extended header
3" o.c. nailing
4,200 lb strap type hold-down
1,000 lb strap capacity (opposite side from sheathing)
Method PFH – Intermittent Portal Frame
Figure R602.10.6.2
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Method PFH with taller walls – Wall height up to 12 ft. tall – Portal height limited to 10 ft. (top of header) – Pony wall built above portal header – 4 ft. max pony wall height – Pony walls require tension straps (Table
R60210.6.4) – Number of jack studs required for single portal post
in Table R502.5(1)
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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For use in SDC A-C only
Bracing length = 1.5 x length of panel
Minimum 24" length
Header 2' min. to 18' max.
R602.10.6.3, Table R602.10.5
Method PFG – Intermittent Portal Frame at Garage
Min. 1,000 lb strap (opposite side from
sheathing)
No hold-downs required
Extended header
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Method PFG – Intermittent Portal Frame at Garage
Min. 7/16" thick wood structural panel
(2) 1/2" anchor bolts with 2x2 washers
10' Max.
Extended header
3" o.c. nailing
No hold-downs required
1,000 lb strap capacity (opposite side)
Figure R602.10.6.3
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Method PFG with taller walls – Wall height up to 12 ft. tall – Portal height limited to 10 ft. (top of header) – Pony wall built above portal header – 4 ft. max pony wall height – Pony walls require tension straps (Table
R602.10.6.4) – Number of jack studs required for single portal
post in Table R502.5(1)
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Table R602.10.5 Minimum length for braced wall panels (excerpt)
Minimum Length of BWPs
Method (See Table R602.10.4)
Minimum Lengtha (inches) Contributing
Length (inches) Wall Height
8 ft. 9 ft. 10 ft. 11 ft. 12 ft.
DWB, WSP, SFB, PBS, PCP, HPS, BV-WSP 48 48 48 53 58 Actualb
ABW SDC A, B and C 28 32 34 38 42
48 SDC Do, D1 and D2 32 32 34 NP NP
PFH
Supporting roof only 16 16 16 18c 20c 48
Supporting one story and roof
24 24 24 27c 29c 48
PFG SDC A, B and C 24 27 30 33d 36d 1.5 × Actualb
Bracing: Panel Material - Intermittent
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Table R602.10.5 Minimum length for braced wall panels (excerpt)
Minimum Length of BWPs
Method (See Table R602.10.4)
Minimum Lengtha (inches) Contributing
Length (inches) Wall Height
8 ft. 9 ft. 10 ft. 11 ft. 12 ft.
DWB, WSP, SFB, PBS, PCP, HPS, BV-WSP 48 48 48 53 58 Actualb
ABW SDC A, B and C 28 32 34 38 42
48 SDC Do, D1 and D2 32 32 34 NP NP
PFH
Supporting roof only 16 16 16 18c 20c 48
Supporting one story and roof
24 24 24 27c 29c 48
PFG SDC A, B and C 24 27 30 33d 36d 1.5 × Actualb
Summary
This module covered: • Intermittent bracing methods
– Wood structural panel and structural fiberboard.
• Method wood structural panel, method structural fiberboard sheathing, and method gypsum board – Three most common bracing methods in the U.S. – Method gypsum board in nearly all houses in the country
• Alternate Braced Wall panel – oldest of methods
• Portal Frames with Hold-downs, and Portal Frames at the Garage. – Used at the garage or at openings along a wall line in the
dwelling.
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