ASTM E564-06 (R2018) PDF Download

ASTM E564-06 (R2018) is a standard practice that outlines the methods for evaluating the shear capacity of a typical section of a framed wall for buildings. The practice applies to structural light-frame walls supported on a rigid foundation, with load applied in the plane of the wall along the edge opposite the rigid support and in a direction parallel to it.

The main objective of this standard is to determine the shear stiffness and strength of any structural light-frame wall configuration to be used as a shear wall on a rigid support. The practice does not classify sheathing shear capacity or evaluate combined flexure and shear resulting from the wall being loaded on a flexible foundation.

To assess the effect of sheathing variations, the practice holds all other variables constant while permitting variations in framing configuration and boundary conditions. Accurate documentation of the test setup is necessary for validating comparisons of sheathing contribution to wall shear capacity across different studies.

The standard also notes that when evaluating a wall on a flexible foundation, its shear stiffness and strength results should be compared to those of an identical wall tested on a rigid foundation according to this practice. However, the measurement of wall bending displacements or the assessment of stress distribution resulting from foundation flexure is not provided. Extrapolation of wall racking behavior from the foundation conditions specified in the practice to flexible conditions should be supported by a comparative test on a representative foundation.