One for the engineers: Canada Wood Japan has successfully developed a shear wall that exceeds a multiplier of 20, a major breakthrough for mid-rise wood construction in Japan. This achievement, made possible with support from the Government of Alberta, significantly improves earthquake resistance, bringing mid-rise wooden buildings closer to reality in a country with some of the strictest seismic building codes.

A Step Forward for Earthquake-Resistant Wooden Buildings

Japan’s Building Standard Law (BSL) limits the use of wood in mid-rise construction (4 to 6 storeys) due to seismic risks. Shear walls, which help buildings withstand earthquakes, are measured using a multiplier system, where higher values indicate stronger resistance. The current maximum multiplier is 5, increasing to 7 in April 2025. Until now, even high-performance shear walls reached only multipliers of 10 to 15, while mid-rise buildings require at least 20.

While many industry players are still working toward this goal, Canada Wood Japan’s latest tests have already surpassed a multiplier of 20, proving that this shearwall system made with Canadian dimension lumber and OSB can meet Japan’s seismic requirements.

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