Tokyo Institute of Technology

Department of Civil Engineering

Second Semester 2005
Professor Kamran M. Nemati
ATCE II Advanced Topics in Civil Engineering
Answers to Assignment # 2

Problem:
Design forms for 13-8 high wall to be concreted at the rate of 5 ft per hour, internally
vibrated. Assume the mix is made with Type I cement, with no pozzolans or admixtures, and
that the temperature of concrete at placing is 75F. The unit weight of concrete is 150 pcf
with a slump of 3.75 inches. The forms will be used only once, so short-term loading stresses
will apply.
Use form grade plywood sheathing 7/8 in. thick in 510-ft sheets, and 5,250-lb coil ties are on
hand. Framing lumber of No. 2 Douglas Fir-Larch is to be purchased as required.

STEP 1: FIND PRESSURE. [5 points]

The concrete used for this project satisfied the
conditions of Table 5-4.
Using Table 5-4, for R = 5 ft/hr, and T = 75F
(by extrapolation), the minimum pressure for
design is:
Temperature, F

Max. Lateral
Pressure, psf

70

793

75

80

712

80 70 712 793
=
80 75
712 P

81
10
81
=
= 2 => P 712 =
= 40.5
712 P 5
2

or using equation: P = 150 +

P = 752.5 psf; say P = 750 psf

P = 150 +
Then the depth of the hydrostatic load zone, for
a concrete with a unit weight of 150 pcf is:

P
750 psf
=
= 5 ft.
150 150 pcf

9000 R
T

9000 5
75

P = 150 + 600 = 750 psf

ATCE II Advanced Topics in Civil Engineering

Answer to Problem Set 2

Hydrostatic
Load Zone

The diagram of lateral pressure

on wall form is shown here:

Page 2 of 9

13-8
8-8

750 psf

STEP 2: SHEATHING
510 sheets of plywood will be used. Use plywood the strong way (face grain parallel to
plywood span). Design for uniformly spaced supports at 1-ft center-to-center.

CHECK BENDING [10 points]

Consider a 12-in. wide strip of plywood.
For continuous beams (more than three
supports) the following equation is used:
fS
l = 10.95
w

From Table 4-2, the bending stress for plywood is 1545 psi.

The problem states that the forms will be used only once (single-use form), the bending stress
must be multiplied by an adjustment factor of 1.25 for short term loading.
Hence, the allowable stress:

f = 1.25 1545 1930 psi

From Table 4-3, the section modulus, S, for 7/8-in. plywood is: 0.515 in.3

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ATCE II Advanced Topics in Civil Engineering

Answer to Problem Set 2

w, loading of the beam for a 1-ft wide strip of plywood is w =

Substituting in the equation: l = 10.95

P
750 psf
=
= 750 lb/lf
12 in.
12 in.

(1930)(0.515) = 10.95
750

Page 3 of 9

1.33 = 12.61 in.

CHECK DEFLECTION [10 points]

Again considering a 12-in. width of plywood sheathing, check the maximum allowable
deflection () of the sheathing for l/360 of the span and 1/16 in., whichever is less.
From Table 4-2, the values for modulus of elasticity for plywood can be found as E =
1,500,000 psi, and Table 4-3 renders the value for the moment of inertia for plies parallel to
the span as I = 0.278 in.4.
For = l/360

l = 1.693

EI
1500000 0.278
= 1.693
= 1.69 8.223 = 13.90 in.
w
750

For = 1/16 in.

l = 3.234

EI
1500000 0.278
= 3.234
= 3.23 4.86 = 15.68 in.
w
750

CHECK ROLLING SHEAR [10 points]

From Table 4-2, allowable Fs (rolling shear stress) can be found to be Fs = 57 psi, which
should be multiplied by 1.25 for short-term loading. Therefore, the allowable rolling shear
FS = 57 1.25 = 71 psi
stress is:
From Table 4-3, the value of the rolling shear constant,

Ib
, can be found as 8.050 in2.
Q

Use the equation for maximum shear for a continuous plyform and solve for L:

L=

FS
Ib
71
=
8.050 = 1.27 ft. = 15.24 in.
0.6 w Q 0.6 750

SPACING OF THE STUDS [5 points]

From the above calculations, the smallest value obtained for l is 12.61 in. (bending governs),
meaning that the studs CANNOT be placed any further than 12.61 inches apart.

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ATCE II Advanced Topics in Civil Engineering

Answer to Problem Set 2

Page 4 of 9

We are using 10-ft.-wide plywood sheets. The sheets should have stud support at the joints.
Therefore an equal-spacing of studs at 12-inches satisfies all conditions.
USE STUDS WITH THE SPACING OF 1-FT.

STEP 3:
STUD SIZE and SPACING OF WALES
(Wales support the studs)
Design for 24 S4S studs. Find the maximum
span that can support a lateral pressure of 750
psf.
Equivalent uniform load, w, is the max. lateral pressure times the stud spacing. Hence:
w (stud ) =

750 psf 12 in.

= 750 lb/lf
12 in./ft.

Studs can be considered as continuous beams subjected to uniform loading. Like the previous
set of calculations, check for allowable span for bending, deflection, and shear.

CHECK BENDING [10 points]

Assume using No. 2 Douglas Fir-Larch studs. From Table 4-2, the extreme fiber bending
stress, Fb, is 875 psi. However, this value should be adjusted.
The first adjustment factor is the short-term loading factor of 1.25. The second adjustment
factor is the size factor obtained from Table 4-2B, which is 1.5.
Therefore:

Fb = 875 psi 1.25 1.5 = 1640 psi

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ATCE II Advanced Topics in Civil Engineering

Answer to Problem Set 2

Page 5 of 9

The values of section modulus, S, for 24 S4S No. 2 Douglas Fir-Larch can be obtained from
Table 4-1B as 3.06 in.3.

The allowable stud span as a continuous beam is:

l = 10.95

FbS
1640 3.06
= 10.95
= 28.32 in.
w
750

CHECK DEFLECTION [10 points]

The allowable deflection is less than l/360 of the span and 1/8 in., whichever is less.
Using Table 4-2, the values for modulus of elasticity for 24 S4S No. 2 Douglas Fir-Larch is
E = 1,600,000 psi, and in Table 4-1B the value for the moment of inertia for is: I = 5.36 in.4.
For = l/360

l = 1.693

1600000 5.36
EI
= 1.693
= 1.69 22.53 = 38.07 in.
750
w

For = 1/8 in.

l = 3.844

EI
1600000 5.36
= 3.844
= 3.84 10.34 = 39.71 in.
w
750

CHECK SHEAR [10 points]

From Table 4-2, allowable Fv (rolling shear stress) can be found to be Fs = 95 psi, which
should be multiplied by 1.25 for short-term loading, as well as by a factor of 2.0 for horizontal
shear adjustment. Therefore, the allowable shear stress is:
FV = 95 1.25 2 = 238 psi

A 24 S4S has an actual b = 1 in. and d = 3 in., which is obtained from Table 4-1B. Use
the equation for maximum shear for a continuous beam and solve for l:
F bd
l = 13.33 V + 2d = 13.33
w

1 1
238 1 3
2 2 + 2 3 1 = 22.2 + 7 = 29.2 in.
750
2

SPACING OF THE WALES [5 points]

From the stud spans calculated above, the shortest span is based on bending which is 28.32
inches. This means the wales, which are the stud supports CANNOT be spaced more than

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ATCE II Advanced Topics in Civil Engineering

Answer to Problem Set 2

Page 6 of 9

28.32 inches apart (this span can be increased near the top, since in the top 5 ft., the pressure
decreases linearly from 750 psf to 0). The top and bottom wales are often set about 1 ft from
top and bottom of wall forms.
12

13-8 2 = 11-8 or 140

remains for spacing the other
wales, which can be no more than
28.32 inches apart.

2-2
2-4
5-0
2-4
2-4

Set wales at 28 inches (2-4)

equal spacing.

P = 750 psf
2-4
2-4

STEPS 4 & 5: TIE DESIGN,

WALE SIZE and TIE SPACING

2-4
2-4

[5 points]
2-4

From the pressure diagram, the

equivalent uniform load per lineal
foot of wale is determined to be
(750 psf)(2.33 ft) = 1750 lb/lf.

2-4
2-2
12

P = 750 psf

The problem statement indicates that

5000-lb coil ties are available and
will be used. With the maximum
load per lineal foot of wale being
1750 lbs, then the maximum tie
spacing is:

Tie capacity
5250 lb
=
= 3 ft.
Wale load 1750 lb/ft
CHECK BENDING [5 points]
Maximum bending moment for a uniformly loaded continuous beam (more than 3 supports)
wl 2
M Max =
is:
in. - lb.
120
The maximum moment of the member being designed is:
Therefore:

FbS =

wl 2
120

or

S=

M Max = FbS .

wl 2
120 Fb

Fb is the allowable stress in the extreme fiber and was calculated to be 1640 psi (refer to page
4 of this handout). The span, l, is 3 ft. or 36 inches, and w = 1750 lb/lf.
Therefore the required section modulus, S, can be calculated using the above equation:

S=

1750 36 2
wl 2
= 11.52 in.3
=

120 Fb 120 1640

In order to avoid drilling of timbers, they commonly use double-member wale. So the
required section modulus of 11.52 in.3 is for two members.

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ATCE II Advanced Topics in Civil Engineering

Page 7 of 9

Answer to Problem Set 2

Referring to Table 4-1B, double 24s will yield a section modulus of 23.06 or 6.12 in.3,
which is less than 11.52 in.3, and therefore not acceptable. 34, will result in: S = 2 5.10 =
10.20 in.3 < 11.52 in.3, which is also not acceptable. Checking the next larger size, 44, will
result in: S = 2 7.15 = 14.30 in.3 > 11.52 in.3, which satisfies the section modulus
requirements. Use double 44 wales.

CHECK SHEAR [5 points]

To check the horizontal shear for the double 4x4 wales, use the horizontal shear stress
formula for a uniformly loaded continuous beam. From Table 4-1B, the value of bd for a 44
member can be obtained as: 12.25 in.2.

fV =

2 3. 5
0. 9 w
2d 0.9 1750
3
= 64.29 2.42 155.4 psi 238 psi O.K.
L
=
12
12 2 12.25
bd

Therefore the stress in the double 44 members meets the requirements. (The value of the
adjusted allowable shear stress of 238 psi was calculated before refer to page 6 of this
handout).

STEP 6: BEARING CHECK

[5 points]

Check: 1) bearing of the studs on wales and 2) bearing between the tie washer or tie holders
and wales.
From Table 4-2, the value of compression
to grain, Fc, for No. 2 24 Douglas FirLarch is 625 psi.

TIES: Assume a 3 in.-square tie washer.

Then the bearing area is:

(3)2 3 = 12.25 2.63 = 9.63 in.2

4x4

Since this is a short bearing length, Fc

should be multiplied by a factor of 1.11 3
(refer to Table 1.1 in Lesson One for 3 in.
bearing length):

4x4

Adjusted Fc = 625 (1.11) = 694 psi

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ATCE II Advanced Topics in Civil Engineering

Answer to Problem Set 2

Page 8 of 9

The actual bearing stress is then:

Maximum tie load 5250 lb
=
= 545 psi < 694 psi O.K.
bearing area
9.63 in.2

STUDS ON WALES: [5 points]

The bearing area between 24 studs and
double 34 wales can be calculated as:
2 (13) = 2 5.25 = 10.5 in.2
Load transfer to the wale = the stud span
above and below the wale the lateral
pressure the stud spacing

28 2 + 28 2
750 psf 1 ft = 1750 lb
12

bearing stress =

1750 lb
= 167 psi < 625 psi O.K.
10.5 in.2

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ATCE II Advanced Topics in Civil Engineering

Answer to Problem Set 2

Page 9 of 9

STEP 7: LATTERAL BRACING

Consider the necessary bracing for a wall form 13-8 ft. high, above grade, in an area where
the local building code specifies a minimum 20 psf wind loading.
Table 5-7 in the text indicated that 136.7 lb per lineal foot (by extrapolation) should be used
for design of bracing, since the wind force prescribed by local code gives a value larger than
the 100 lb/ft minimum established by ACI Committee 347.

STRUT BRACING
If wooden strut bracing is provided, strong enough to take either a tension or compression
load, then single side bracing may be used. Nailed connections at either end must be strong
enough to transmit the tension load, and wales or other form members must be strong enough
to transmit accumulated horizontal forces to the strut bracing.
If wooden bracing is attached 1 or 2 feet below the top of the wall, the bracing must carry
more than the 136.7 lb per ft load applied at the top.
H the horizontal bracing force 2 feet from
the top of the wall would have to be
13.67'

136.7 lb/lf = 160.13 lb per ft

11.67'

13-8

in order to balance the 136.7 lb/lf design

load applied at the top of the wall.

H=160.13 lb/ft

11-8

If end of the brace is put 8 feet from the wall, use the relationship between sides of the right
triangle to find the length of brace and load it must carry.

t = h2 + x2

H=160.13 lb/ft

t = 11.67 2 + 8 2 = 200.19 = 14.15 ft

(tension) compression in strut = H

14.15'
8'

h= 11-8

14.15'
8'
= 283.2 lb per foot of wall

(tension) compression in strut = 160.13

X= 8

If struts are spaced every 8 feet along the wall, then 8283.2 or 2266 lb must be carried by
each brace. Many wood members strong enough to carry this load in compression will also
be adequate in tension.

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