Bracing Test (Layout Below)
• Walls were constructed using 90 x 45 MSG8 studs (600 centres), plates and nogs.
• For 6.5mm and 7mm the plywood was fixed with 50 x 2.8 galvanised clouts at 150mm cen- tres around the perimeter and at 300mm centres in the middle.
• For the 12mm Plywood 50 x 2.8mm Annular Grooved Stainless steel fixings were used at
the same centres as above.
• Straps of 25 x 0.9mm around the bottom plate at each outside stud and extended a mini- mum of 150mm past the top of the bottom plate were used with at least 6 timber bracket gal- vanised 30 x 3.15mm FH nails on each side of the plate giving 6kN on each side of the stud.
• Tested on a concrete floor with 2 M12 hold down bolts and 50 x 50 x 3 galvanised washers
on each.
• Tested by Scion, New Zealand April 2022.
Bracing Ratings
Min Wall Length Plywood Thickness Max Stud Spacing
mm mm mm BU/m kN BU/m kN
AP1 1,200 6.5 600 130 7 132 6.6
AP2 1,200 7 600 142 7 144 7.2
AP3 1,200 12 Grooved 600 123 6 132 6.6
Earthquake** Arauco Code
Notes: 20 bracing units = 1kN.
- As limited by the serviceability load capacity.
** As limited by the ultimate load capacity
