ABSTRACT
Stone and wood were the first materials used by man to build shelter, and in the United States wood continues to be the primary construction material for residential and commercial buildings today. In California, for example, wood accounts for 99% of residential buildings [Schierle, 2000]. Design and construction methods for wood currently used by the residential construction industry in North America have developed through a process of evolution and tradition. Historically, these construction methods have been sufficient to provide acceptable performance under seismic loading mainly due to the relatively light weight of wood and the historical high redundancy in single-family housing. However, in recent years architectural trends and society’s demands for larger rooms, larger windows, and a more open, airy feel to the structure have resulted in a reduction in the structural redundancy of the typical house, as well as a reduction in symmetry of stiffness and strength that was inherent in traditional structures.
