2012 IRC Seismic Bracing CS-WSP GB

[Knarrly Viking]

I'm designing my home in Washington State trying to use the 2012 IRC prescriptive method to design everything.  Everything is working so far, except I'm getting stumped on the no-mixing of braced wall panel types along a braced wall line in Seismic D category.

I have is my living room bumps out 8 feet from the middle of a long outside wall (gabled roof over the bump out).  So, the "interior" braced wall line starts inside the house, and ends in the middle of the 8 foot wall section that bumps out from the house.  I need to meet the requirement that the corner be braced, so I'd use a 48" CS-WSP BWP along the 8 foot exterior side of the living room, and then use GB on the other end that's inside the house.  But, that doesn't meet the no-mixing clause.

Any solutions within the IRC?

Mark

[Don_P]

Do CS-WSP under the GB... the GB is non bracing window dressing.

[Knarrly Viking]

I looked at the mixed method section again, and yes, I figured out that I can use a typically-exterior method on the interior.  I'm going to forget about the CS and go with straight WSP on most wall lines.  I'll have to use ABW in a couple areas, but I'm assuming that is not mixing methods, that it's a variant of WSP.

I guess the next questions is whether or not I can cut holes in the sheathing for electrical boxes, pipes, etc.

[Don_P]

I've done a fairly good scour of the code referenced WFCM, (You can get the workbook and commentary free at awc.org, the manual with all the tables is not a freebie but has both prescriptive and engineering info, very dense stuff even after taking the class from their engineer.) I assume you've searched the code for an answer. It's a question I've not thought to ask and there must be some guideline on hole size and location for small holes. The help desk at apawood.org , the American Plywood Association, is responded to by a good engineer. If you don't mind asking there and sharing the answer I'd appreciate it. They are typically the referenced organization for engineered wood products, ply/osb, lvl's, tji's, etc. Create an account and get into their publications, a good amount of stuff on bracing.

[ranjitha21]

I guess the next questions is whether or not I can cut holes in the sheathing for electrical boxes, pipes, etc.
http://www.design3i.com/

[UK4X4]

Ignore above....now where's my spam gift !