Lateral resistance of lightweight wood frame shear wall using plybamboo and PE wood-plastic composite veneer panels

Lightweight wood shear walls play a crucial role in timber frame structures, especially in effectively transferring lateral forces such as seismic and wind loads to beams and columns, thus reducing deformation and damage to the building structure. This paper discusses the impact of bamboo plywood and PE wood-plastic veneers on the lateral resistance performance of lightweight wood frame shear walls. Full-scale tests on lightweight wood frame shear walls were conducted using monotonic and reversed cyclic loading methods, and the theoretical formula for shear resistance capacity of lightweight wood frame shear walls was adjusted. The analysis results indicate that bamboo plywood veneered lightweight wood frame shear walls exhibit better shear strength, elastic lateral stiffness, and lateral deformation capacity compared to PE wood-plastic veneered ones. This enables bamboo plywood veneered lightweight wood frame shear walls to potentially replace concrete in low-rise buildings.