Patent ID: 7845130

Claim:
A shear panel system, for resisting shear loads when fastened to metal framing, comprising: a shear panel consisting of a panel-shaped continuous phase and first and second reinforcing members attached to the continuous phase; the shear panel-shaped continuous phase resulting from the curing of an aqueous mixture consisting essentially of water and, on a dry basis, 49 to 68 weight % a blend of reactive powders, 23 to 43 weight % uniformly distributed lightweight filler particles comprising uniformly distributed ceramic microspheres, and 5 to 20 weight % alkali-resistant glass fibers, wherein the glass fibers are monofilaments having a diameter of about 5 to 25 microns (micrometers) and a length of about 0.25 to 3 inches, and optional superplasticizer, the continuous phase being uniformly reinforced with the alkali-resistant glass fibers; the lightweight filler particles having a particle specific gravity of from 0.02 to 1.00 and an average particle size of about 10 to 500 microns (micrometers); wherein the blend of reactive powders comprises: 45 to 75 wt % calcium sulfate alpha hemihydrate, 20 to 40 wt % Portland cement, 0.2 to 3.5 wt % lime, and 5 to 25 wt % of an active pozzolan comprising silica fume; and the panel-shaped continuous phase having opposed first and second outer surfaces, first and second reinforcing members selected from the group consisting of plate and a mesh sheet attached to only the first outer surface of the continuous phase panel, the first reinforcing member and the second reinforcing member each respectively attached to the first surface along the entire length of two opposed edges of the panel covering the portion of the first surface opposite the second surface at the point(s) where the panel is attached to the metal frame with screws with winged drillers, wherein the second surface of the panel opposed to the first surface has no reinforcing members; wherein the reinforcing members cover 5 to 90% of the first surface of the panel-shaped continuous phase, and metal framing; the shear panel is fastened to the metal framing with screws with winged drillers to form a first shear diaphragm, wherein the winged driller is located above the point and below the first thread of the screw and protrudes laterally from a shaft of the screw, wherein the shear panel fastened to the metal frame has a racking shear strength between 1.1 and 3.0 times the racking shear strength of a similar structural cement panel without reinforcing that is fastened to the same wall framing with the same screws, and a layer of Type X fire rated gypsum wallboard attached to a side of the metal framing opposed to said shear panel to form a second diaphragm, wherein the Type X fire rated gypsum wallboard is only on the one side of the frame opposed to the first shear diaphragm, wherein the panel has a thickness of about ½ to 1½ inches (6.3 to 38.11 mm), and wherein the shear panel system fastened to the metal frame meets the performance of the 2 hour fire resistance test rating under ASTM E-119, effective 2003.