Low Damage Non-Structural Drywall Design

Low Damage Non-Structural Drywall Design: Concepts and Design Code

The Quake centre is a dynamic partnership between the New Zealand Government, the University of Canterbury, and several leading industry groups, all working together to provide world-class knowledge, research and solutions to seismic issues.

This stand-alone module is designed to build on knowledge gained in the three module introductory series, with specific focus on the topic of designing non-structural drywall partitions for commercial buildings. These partitions are typically the first elements to suffer any kind of seismic damage well before any structural damage occurs, resulting in economic losses and impacting seismic performance of buildings that structurally meet safety criteria.

Learning Outcomes

Delegates who complete this module will gain understanding of:

• The calculation of the required seismic gaps for the non-structural drywall partitions in a building
• Calculation of optimal distribution of seismic gaps for each drywall partition based on their location on the floor plan
• Low-damage detailing options
• A range of finishing options for low-damage walls
• Proposed construction methods for low-damage walls

Intended Audience

This module is aimed at structural and mechanical engineering students and graduates wishing to develop new skills that enable low-damage non-loading bearing walls in commercial buildings to be designed and installed.

Course Format

This self-paced online module is not formally assessed. However, at key points throughout the topics, you are asked to complete short quizzes or activities to check your knowledge and understanding of the topic. If you do not answer all questions correctly, you will be able to go back and review any of the topics, at any time, and then retake the quiz or activity.