Prescriptive Seismic Design Procedure for Post-Tensioned Mass Timber Rocking Walls

Abstract

In this study, a prescriptive seismic design procedure for post-tensioned mass timber rocking wall lateral force–resisting systems is proposed. Unlike performance-based design approaches that employ nonlinear analysis, this procedure utilizes techniques and analysis procedures that are routinely applied in design industry practice as well as adhering to traditional approaches contained in current US standards. The design procedure targets providing a basis for prescriptive design of mass timber rocking wall lateral force–resisting systems and their future adoption into model codes. For illustration, the design approach is applied to an example building, with the building’s performance validated through a nonlinear numerical model simulation.