An evaluation of a prefabricated wall-stud unit for a preserved wood foundation

Abstract

The main objective of this senior report is to determine the response of a prefabricated wall stud unit to foundation loading. The investigation involved loading the Ecostud with a point load and a non-uniform distributed load (triangular) in order to simulate the actual foundation loads. The analysis involved determining the strain and stress distributions of both vertical members of the Ecostud; the exterior stud resisting the lateral soil pressure directly and the interior stud resisting the lateral load indirectly through connection points. The analysis was performed based on the assumption that the predicted behavior of the Ecostud would be similar to that of a Vierendeel Truss.