Lateral resistance performance of wood-frame shear walls with wooden nail connections: Experimental and finite element analysis

Modern architecture and engineering increasingly favor timber structures due to their sustainability. Wooden nails, as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional metal connectors, offer promising potential for widespread adoption. This study analyzed the influence of various parameters on the shear performance of wooden nail connections through monotonic loading tests. Key factors examined included sheathing panel material (oriented strand board (OSB) and structural plywood (SP)), thickness (9.5 and 12 mm), as well as nail diameter (3.7 and 4.7 mm), spacing (50 and 100 mm), and cap configuration (with/without caps) on the mechanical behavior of the joints. Analyzing load-displacement curves and mechanical parameters (ultimate load, stiffness, ductility) reveals several key findings: nail cap design has minimal impact on shear performance compared to other factors; joints with SP sheathing panel material show significantly higher shear-bearing capacity than those with OSB. Stiffness and ductility vary across specimen groups, with group O9–4.7 (denoting OSB sheathing, 9.5 mm thickness, and 4.7 mm nail diameter) having the highest stiffness (1 332 N/mm) and group O12–4.7 (OSB sheathing, 12 mm thickness, and 4.7 mm nail diameter) showing superior ductility (3.47). Additionally, a comprehensive finite element (FE) simulation of full-size wood-frame shear walls using OpenSees software provides insights into the influence of sheathing panel form, material properties, and thickness on lateral resistance performance.