Shake Table

Oshpd Certification

SIPs are a strong structural panel building component used in residential homes and commercial buildings for your walls, roofs and floors. SIPs possess a history of performance in seismic events. Particularly, numerous SIP structures were located close to the epicenter of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Kobe, Japan in 1995. Overview of these structures following your earthquake demonstrated that the inherent performance of SIPs in seismic events is exceptional.



SIPs develop their shear strength from the utilization of outer facings of 7/16" OSB produced in conformance with all the PS2 standard for sheathing. Each SIP wall panel is attached to base plates, top plates, and vertical boundary members with fasteners, typically 8d nails. The 8d nails give the transfer of the shear loads from your OSB facings to the wood plating materials while the bond with the OSB to the EPS core provide resistance for your OSB from buckling. This performance is analogous to conventionally built OSB sheathed shear walls in which the OSB provides shear resistance by utilizing fasteners to transfer shear loads towards the framing members.



SIPs have been evaluated side by side with OSB sheathed conventional walls. Testing may be conducted by the leader within the progression of shear wall design data for light frame walls, APA - The Engineered Wood Association. Testing consisted of building conventional OSB sheathed 2X shear walls and comparing the performance to Structural Insulated Panels.



Testing was conducted carrying out a seismic test protocol developed by the Structural Engineering Association of California (SEAOSC). The exam includes imposing a simulated seismic event to some shear wall and recording the response. The test protocol includes 72 cycles of loading for your shear wall. The resulting loads and deflection for the conventional shear wall as well as the SIP wall were nearly identical.

Oshpd Certification

It is recommended that SIPs resemble conventional light frame shear walls with OSB sheathing for performance in seismic events with proper engineering of connections and load transfer.