Innovative Wall System for Construction Industry

This paper describes an innovative wall system for use in residential and commercial construction projects that is reusable, uses less dimensional lumber, and is faster to assemble and install compared to traditional stud wall systems. The wall system is an engineered wall design composed of components fabricated from 5.08 × 5.08 cm (2 in.) (nominal dimensions) nailing strips and oriented strand board fins located in the midsection of the nailing strip. Components can be connected to one another by hinges allowing the system to be collapsible. Laboratory testing has shown that this wall system has significantly improved racking capabilities compared to the traditional stud wall system both with and without sheathing. Additional research is required, however, to enhance this wall system's structural characteristics in bending and axial loads. An economic analysis showed that material costs are cheaper for this wall and assembly, and installation times are less compared to traditional stud wall construction. In its present form, this wall system could be used for non-load-bearing applications (e.g., partition walls within a load bearing structure).