Behavior of Cellulosic Fiber Board Wood-Frame Shear Walls with and without Openings under Cyclical Loading

Cellulosic fiber board (CFB) is a lightweight form of sheathing that contains 94% post-consumer recycled materials. The viability of CFB sheathed shear walls as an alternative to Oriented Strand Board (OSB) walls is the focus of this study. A total of 23 walls and 10 connection samples were tested under cyclical loading to determine their overall behavior and capacity. The walls consisted of 2.44 m high by 3.66 m long CFB and OSB sheathed walls with and without openings. The design capacity of each wall was calculated and compared to the experimental results. For the walls with openings, the effects of blocking and strapping on their behavior were also evaluated. It was found that CFB is a viable alternative to OSB; however, some adjustments to the current design values and processes are required as the current procedure results in safety factors that are significantly lower than those for OSB walls.