Use of energy efficient wood structural insulation panels in seismic regions

Abstract

The paper describes the use of Structural Insulation Panels (SIPs) as an energy efficient building material for walls, floors and roofs and their suitability in high seismic regions such as in California. SIPs are made out of a core of rigid form insulated plastic inserted between two structural skins of oriented strand board (OSB). The SIP system replaces a plywood shear wall system with vertical studs in residential and commercial buildings. In a plywood shear wall system there are vertical studs typically at 16 inches on center that helps to transfer the vertical loads to foundation. However in SIPs the vertical members are at least four feet apart and in some cases there are no dedicated vertical elements other than the OSB boards. While SIPs have widely been used in non seismic regions, questions remain their ability to sustain applied seismic loads. As a result the SIPs are not readily acceptable in high seismic regions. The paper describes the use of SIPs as a structural material, and analytical studies conducted to evaluate suitability of SIPs in high seismic regions using structural simulations with SAP2000 and design calculations per the current design codes.