Implementation History

Version '97 (1.0) , Version '99 (2.0), Version 2002 (3.0)

The original version of Shearwalls and each subsequent version up to and including 2002 used the design provisions from the 1995 Wood Frame Construction Manual, with a small number of provisions from IBC and UBC also implemented.

Version 2004 (4.0)

Starting with version 2004 the program comprehensively implemented the provisions from the following sources

• IBC 2003 - International Building Code, from the International Code Council (ICC)
• UBC 1997 - Uniform Building Code, from the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO)
• WFCM 2001 - Wood Frame Construction Manual for One- and Two-Family Dwellings, from the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) American Wood Council (AWC)
• 2001 AF&PA AWC Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS)
• 1998 ASCE 7 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures

You could select from IBC, UBC, and SDPWS options. If no SDPWS provision existed then the IBC was used. If no IBC or SDPWS provision existed, or no UBC provision existed, then the WFCM was used.

The ASCE 7 is primarily for load generation, but includes numerous seismic design provisions, and some provisions affecting design for wind. Load combinations used for design also come from the ASCE 7.

• The program conformed to the NDS 2001, which refers to the SDPWS for all provisions.

Version 2004c (2006)

The ASCE 7 was updated from 1998 to 2002.

Version 7 (2006)

The SDPWS was updated from 2001 to 2005.

The remaining WFCM provisions were removed from the program except for where no guidance existed from SDPWS.

The program now conformed to the NDS 2005.

Version 8 (2008)

The ASCE 7 was updated from 2002 to 2005.

The IBC was updated from 2003 to 2006.

Version 9 (2010)

Starting with version 9:

• IBC was updated to from 2006 to 2009
• The SDPWS was updated from 2005 to 2008
• The choice of design codes was removed from the program, the program designed only for IBC 2009 / SDPWS 2008..

The 2009 IBC references the 2008 SDPWS for all design procedures, except those using staples, which are not permitted by SDPWS. As Shearwalls does not include staples, and all shear wall design values listed in the IBC are identical to those in SDPWS, all differences between SDPWS and IBC in the program were been removed, and you could no longer choose between these documents for Shearwalls design.

• The UBC option was removed from the program.

Shearwalls projects from previous versions created for UBC are converted to IBC upon input to Shearwalls 9 or later.

Version 10 (2013)

The IBC was updated to 2012 from 2009, and the NDS from 2005 to 2012, but as each of these standards refers to the SDPWS 2008 for all design provisions, there were no substantive changes to the shear wall design aspects of the program.

There were significant changes to load generation and load distribution due to the update of the ASCE 7 from 2005 to 2010.

Version 11 (2016)

The IBC was updated from 2012 to 2015, the NDS from 2012 to 2015, and the SDPWS from 2008 to 2015. The IBC and NDS refer to the SDPWS for all design provisions.

There were significant changes to the SDPWS, and the resulting program changes are listed under Version 11 USA.

The program now conformed to the NDS 2015.

Version 2019

The IBC was updated to 2018 from 2015, and the NDS from 2015 to 2018. The IBC and NDS refer to the SDPWS for almost all design provisions.

The ASCE 7 was updated from 2010 to 2016.