Can openings be made in shear walls?
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The process pipelines and cable trays need to pass through shear walls, but no openings have been pre-arranged; is it allowed to create openings later?
In my personal opinion, shear walls can have openings added later. It should be noted that additional rebar must be installed around the opening to reinforce it; after that, filling walls can be built, or doors, windows, and equipment can be installed!
Of course, holes can be made! Generally, for circular openings with a diameter of no more than 300 (or square openings with a side length of no more than 300), it is not necessary to use rebar; simply bending the horizontal or vertical rebar in the shear wall around the opening is sufficient. It should be remembered that rebar cannot be cut. For openings larger than 300, reinforcement bars must be installed at the opening. If it is less than 500, simply add 2 more 12-mm rebar bars around the opening; an anchorage length of laE is required at the intersection points (for 12-mm rebar, a length of 500 is sufficient). For openings larger than 800, dark beams are added above and below the opening, and the reinforcement required consists of two bars with a diameter of at least 16. The specific approach shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions regarding openings in shear walls in the general instructions of the structural construction drawings. If it is a double opening, it is best to treat it as one large opening. If the distance is over 500, it can be considered that no reinforcement measures are needed. If there are concerns about structural safety, consult the designer. Of course, the shear wall in the middle of the hole can also be treated as a hidden column or hidden beam (using 4 bars of 14 gauge).
It’s definitely possible to create holes, but one needs to pay attention to calculating the strength
Reading the original poster’s post, it seems that holes were not left during the structural construction. From a practical perspective, it is possible to create openings; however, one thing to keep in mind is that any modifications to the structure must be reviewed by the original structural design firm or a firm with equivalent design qualifications before work can proceed. Generally, structural modifications require the selection of a reinforcement scheme based on the size of the openings and the operating environment.
Holes smaller than 300 can be drilled directly!
Be sure to check the location where the hole is to be made; it’s best to avoid areas with hidden columns or beams in the shear walls when creating such holes! Otherwise, it is necessary to obtain the designer’s approval; even for circular openings with a diameter of no more than 300 (or square openings with a side length of no more than 300), construction cannot be carried out without permission.
Sure~ That’s exactly what we do