DIAPHRAGM DESIGN

Bruce Burr P.E. & Gargi Talati P.E.

Burr and Cole Consulting Engineers, Inc.
BURR
&C
1. Resources
a.) Steel Deck Institute – Diaphragm Design Manual
b.) Seismic Design for Buildings – TI-809-04 (Corps of Engineers)
c.) Standard Building Code & Commentary – 1999
d.) American Plywood Association Publications
1) Report 138 – Plywood Diaphragms
2) Diaphragms & Shear walls – Design/Construction Guide
3) Plywood Design Specifications
4) Panel Design Specification
e.) NEHRP – Recommended Provisions for Seismic Regulations for New
Buildings & Other Structures, and Commentary – 1997
f.) International Building Code – 2003
g.) SEAOC Seismology Committee
h.) Precast & Prestressed Concrete – PCI Design Handbook
2.
2. Usual Classification of Diaphragms:
Flexible Rigid
a.) Examples: Untopped Precast Concrete Precast Concrete with Topping
Steel Deck Conc. Slab on Steel Deck
Plywood Cast-in-place Concrete
b.) Force Distribution: Tributary Areas Rigidity of Lateral Elements

3. Test for Classification:

∆D > 2 * Story Drift ∆D < 2 * Story Drift
∆D < Permissible ∆D < Permissible
a.) Examples: Conc. or Masonry Shear Walls Conc. Slab or Topping
with Steel or Wood Deck & Steel Rigid Frames
b.) Test Required: Wood Diaphragms & Shear Walls Conc. Slab & Steel Bracing
Conc. Slab & Conc. Or
Masonry Shear walls
Per some resources: ∆D > 2 * Story Drift - Flexible
∆D > 0.5 * Story Drift; ∆D < 2 * Story Drift – Semi-Rigid
∆D < 0.5 * Story Drift - Rigid
3.
4. How to Play It Safe – Enveloping Analysis
a.) Check chords, collectors, attachments for worst case
b.) Diaphragm frequently has the least reserve strength of the lateral system elements; for
instance concrete tilt-up walls with steel deck diaphragm

5. Stiffness of Diaphragm Significantly Greater If:

a.) Steel deck welded @ supports @ 6” o.c. ~ five times the stiffness of 12” o.c.
b.) Blocked wood diaphragm > 2 ½ times stiffness of unblocked diaphragm

6. See Code Provisions for Limitations On:

a.) Span – Width ratios for diaphragms
b.) Flexible diaphragm limitations for transferring torsion in open ended buildings,
and where masonry or concrete walls cannot withstand the large movements
c.) Limitations on particle board and gypsum board shear walls in higher
seismicity areas
d.) Special attention required at diaphragm chord splices, corners, reentrant corners,
openings, collectors, and connection to walls, bracing, or frames. 4.
 Diaphragm Design of Two Story Building

Design Criteria: SBC’ 1999

Peak velocity related acceleration Av =0.18

Peak Acceleration Aa =0.16
Seismic Hazard Exposure Group I
Seismic Performance Category C
Soil Profile S = 1.2
Basic Structural System Building frame system
Seismic resisting system Reinf. masonry shear walls
Response modification Factor R = 4.5
Deflection amplification Factor Cd = 4
Seismic base shear V = Cs * W (Cs = 0.09)
Story Height 12’
5.
Diaphragm Design of Two Story Building

6.
Diaphragm Design of Two Story Building

7.
 Diaphragm Design Forces (N-S Direction)
Seismic DL:

Roof (1 ½” wide rib steel deck):

Roof seismic DL= 35 psf (100’ * 300’) = 1050k
2nd floor (3” NW concrete slab):
Floor seismic DL = 85 psf (100’ * 300’) = 2550k

Total DL for seismic design, W = 3600k

Base Shear:

V (total)= 0.09 * W= 0.09 * (3600) = 324k

*Dead load includes contributing walls, partitions and columns.

*Assumed floor and wall loads are distributed uniformly.

8.
 Diaphragm design forces (N-S Direction)

Shear based on vertical distribution (1607.4.2)

Fx= Cvx * V Cvx=

Minimum force= 50% Av * Wi + shear required to be transferred

because of offsets or changes in stiffness of seismic resisting
elements above and below the diaphragm (1607.3.6.2.7)

Diaphragm shear at each story:

V (roof)= 146k >0.5 * 0.18 * 1050 = 95k
V (2nd flr)= 178k <0.5 * 0.18 * 2550 = 230k

9.
 Flexible Diaphragm Design

Flexible diaphragm:

Max. lateral deformation of the diaphragm > 2 * story drift

Distribution of story shear based on tributary area

Shear distribution based on direct shear only

10.
 Flexible Diaphragm Design

Max. Diaphragm Shear = 51.1 K / 100’ = 0.511 K/ft

Max. Collector Force = (0.511 + 0.219) * 20’ = 15 K

1 ½” Wide Rib 22 Ga. steel deck span 5’-0”, Support fasteners @ 6” o.c., Side Lap fasteners @ 12” o.c.
Allow. Diaph. Shear Strength = 0.421 K/ft > 0.511 K/ft / 1.4 = 0.365 K/ft (Working Load = E/ 1.4)
11.
 Flexible Diaphragm Design

Max. Chord Force = C=T= M / d = 2685 / 100 = 27 K

Ast = T / (Ф * Fy) = 27 / (0.9 * 36) = 0.83 in2 (3 x 3 x 1/4 Contin. L , As = 1.44 in2 )
*Compression Chord Force to be Resisted By Steel Beams & Continuous Angle.

12.
 Flexible Diaphragm Design

* VULCRAFT TABLE
13.
 Flexible Diaphragm Design

Calculate diaphragm deflection of roof deck

Moment deflection= 5qL4/384EsI = 0.1”

Shear deflection = qL2/8BG’ = 0.48”
Total diaphragm deflection = 0.58” >2 * story drift
where:
q= diaphragm shear (0.511 K/ft)
L= diaphragm span (210’)
B= diaphragm depth (100’)
Es= Modulus of elasticity (29000 Ksi)
I= Moment of Inertia= 2(A)(B/2)2= 7.2 * 106 in4 (conservative)
A= Area of perimeter beam= 10 in2
G’= Effective shear modulus (58.4 K/in support fasteners @ 6”o.c.)

*Roof Diaph. can become rigid if story drift increases. For example, moment
frame with drift 3/8”, given diaph. will be rigid
*For support fastener layout 36/5, G’ = 16.4 K/in - shear deflection= 1.72” >> 0.48”
14.
 Rigid Diaphragm Design

Rigid diaphragm:

Max. lateral deformation of the diaphragm < 2 * story drift

Distribution of story shear based on rigidity of

seismic resisting system

Shear distribution based on direct shear and torsional shear

(based on calculated and accidental torsional moment)

15.
 Rigid Diaphragm Design

East Wall: Diaphragm Shear = 100 K / 100’ = 1.0 K/ft

Diaphragm Shear w/o collector = 100 K / 80’ = 1.25 K/ft
Center Wall: Diaphragm Shear = 82 K / (100’-20’) = 1.0 K/ft
Shear Capacity w/o Shear Reinf., Φ Vc = Φ * 2 (sqrt. (fc’)) * (bw * d) = 0.75 (2 * (sqrt. 3000) * 12 * 2.5)= 2.46 K/ft > 1.25 K/ft
3” NW Concrete Slab (9/16” 28 Ga. Steel deck span 2’-0”), support fasteners @ 10” o.c.
Allow. Diaph. Shear Strength = 1.782 k/ft > 1.25 / 1.4 = 0.89 K/ft (Working Load E / 1.4) 16.
 Rigid Diaphragm Design

Max. Chord Force = C=T= M / d = 5770 / (100’ –1’) = 58 K

Ast = T / (Ф * Fy) = 58 / (0.9 * 60) = 1.10 in2 (4 #5 Contin. As = 1.24 in2 )
*Compression Chord Force to be Resisted By Steel Beam & Concrete Slab

17.
 Rigid Diaphragm Design

* VULCRAFT TABLE

18.
 Rigid Diaphragm Design

Calculate diaphragm deflection of floor slab

Moment deflection= 5qL4/384EcI = 0.04”

Shear deflection = qL2/8BG’ = 0.02”
Total diaphragm deflection = 0.06” < 2 * story drift

where:
q = diaphragm shear (1.0 K/ft)
L = diaphragm span (210’)
B = diaphragm depth (100’)
Ec = Modulus of elasticity = 33 * w1.5 * sqrt. (fc’) = 3156 ksi
I = Moment of Inertia= t (B * 12)3 / 12= 3.6 x 108 in.4
t = slab thickness= 2.5” (above form deck)
G’ = Effective shear modulus (2444 K/in support fasteners @ 10”o.c.)

19.
 Chord Reinforcement at Parking Garage
(Topping Slab Over Precast Double Tee)

*Part of chord reinforcement continuous through columns

20.
Wood Diaphragm Design of One Story Building

21.
Wood Diaphragm Design of One Story Building

22.
 Roof Loads:

Built-up roof & Insulation 10 psf

Beams, Joists, & Deck 5
Ceiling & Misc. 5
Interior Partitions 5
Dead Load 25
Live Load 20
Total Load 45 psf

23.
 Walls

Brick 40
Studs, Plywood, Gypsum Board 8
Total 48 psf

Glass or Curtain Wall 15 psf

Story Height = 12’

24.
 Design Criteria (1999 SBC)

Seismic Criteria
Aa = Av = 0.2
Seismic Hazard Exposure Group = I
Seismic Performance Category = C
Soil Profile Type = S2
Basic Structural System = Frame
Light framed walls with shear panels
Response modification factor = 6.5
Deflection amplification factor = 4
Equivalent lateral force procedure

25.
 Design Criteria (1999 SBC)
Wind Criteria
Velocity = 70 mph
Velocity Pressure = 10 psf
GCp = 1.2
Horizontal Wind Load = 12 psf

Seismic Diaphragm Forces

Cs = 2.5 Aa = 2.5 (.2) = .077
R 6.5
Minimum Diaphragm Force
= .5AvW = .5(.2)W = .1 W

26.
 North-South Diaphragm Design

West Side Dead Load x Wx

Roof = 90(100)(.025) = 225k, x 45 = 10,125
W1 = (7+2)(90)(.048) = 39k, x 45 = 1,750
W5 = (7+2)(60)(.048) = 26k, x 30 = 778
W6 = (7+2)(30)(.015) = 4k, x 75 = 304
Total 294k 12,957
x1 = 12,957 / 294 = 44.1
e1 = (90 / 2) - 44.1 = 0.9 ft (Ignore Torsion)
Vmax = .1 (294/2) = 14.7k
Vwind = .012(9)(90/2) = 4.9k (Seismic Controls)

27.
 North-South Diaphragm Design

East Side Dead Load x Wx

Roof = 210(100)(.025) = 525k, x 105 = 55,125
W2 = (7+2)(30)(.048) = 13k, x 15 = 194
W3 = (7+2)(60)(.015) = 8k, x 60 = 486
W4 = (7+2)(120)(.015) = 16k, x 150 = 2430
W7 = (7+2)(150)(.015) = 20k, x 75 = 1519
W8 = (7+2)(60)(.015) = 8k, x 180 = 1458
Total 590k 61,212
x2 = 61,212 / 590 = 103.7
e2 = (210 / 2) - 103.7 = 1.3 ft (Ignore Torsion)
Vmax = .1 (590/2) = 29.5k
Vwind = .012(9)(210/2) = 11.3k (Seismic Controls)

28.
 Diaphragm Shears Assuming Uniform Loads

29.5
14.7

14.7
29.5

v = 14.7/100 = .15 k/ft v = 29.5/100 = .3 k/ft

.3 k/ft / 1.4 = .21 k/ft (Working Load– E/1.4)

Try unblocked 5/8” PS1 sheathing w/ 10d nails @ 6” oc @ all

panel edges and @ 12” oc elsewhere. Allow .215 k/ft. If
blocked edges, allow shear = .43 k/ft and ∆ = ~ 40%. Use 5/8”
PS1 with blocked edges and same nailing.
29.
 Moment to check chord forces

WL/8 = 29.4(90) / 8 = 331 k-ft WL/8 = 59.0(210) / 8 = 1549 k-ft

Chord Force = 1549/100 = 15.5 k
Area of steel required = 15.5 k/ (.9)(36) = .5 sq. in. minimum,
Use a minimum of 2” x 1/4” steel bar continuous @ edge
(or end plate steel beam connection)

30.
 Diaphragm Deflection
(per APA Research Report #138)

∆ = Σ (bending defl. + shear defl. + nail slip + chord splice slip)

= 5vL3 + vL + 0.188 Len + ∆ (∆cx) (ignore last term if steel chord)
8EAb 4Gt 2b
= 5 (.3) (210)3 + .3(210) + .188(210)(.006) (dry/dry)
8(29000)(.5)100 4(90)(.319)
= 0.12” + 0.55” + .24” = 0.91” ; L/600 = 210(12) /600 = 4.2”

∆ * Cd = .91(4) = 3.6” 2 * h = 2 * (144) = 1.60”

180 180

Brick wall should survive with this deflection.

31.
 Shear Wall Deflection
(APA Diaphragms & Shear Walls, Design/Construction Guide)

Max shear in intermediate wall = (29.8+14.7) / (2x40) = 0.56 k/ft

ASD, v = .56/ 1.4 = .40 k/ft, use 7/16” PS1 each side
Capacity = .24(2) = .48 k/ft, with 8d nails @ 6” oc
∆sw = 8 vh3 + vh + .75 h en + h da
Eab Gt b
= 8 (.56)(12)3 + .56(12) + .75(12)(.0114)(1.2) + h da
1600(2x1.5x5.5)(40) (90)(.298) b
(2 - 2x6) (dry fir/pine)
= .0073 + .25” + .12” + hold-down slip (ignore) = .38”

Compare Diaphragm Deflection To Shear Wall Deflection

∆D = .91”, ∆SW = .38”, .91/.38 = 2.39, > 2, flexible

32.