Your not gaining any real structural elements going with single wall or double wall. One layer of shear is all thats needed unless otherwise speced and then it would be one layer outside and one layer inside. The double wall just allows for a more integrated flashing and another layer to supress airflow. A house with cedar lap siding or shingles still has only one layer of structural sheathing. I have only framed a few single wall buildings and I always had a problem with how to flash the windows. You cant use a z metal on the header piece of trim and I dont really like water being stoped by only a sealent.
Yep. Though when I was referring more to a denser wall assembly when I said more stout. Even 5/8" panels direct to studs sound & feel cheap to me, where a thinner panel over ply or OSB sheathing has more mass.
I agree the flashing integration is really the key advantage to a double wall assembly.
We've flashed direct-to-stud panels & windows with Z flashing, but it's kind of a pain. There are a couple options for windows & doors that have brickmold or similar exterior casing.
Either install the window first, tight to the framing, & flash the head to the header. Then cut the panel around the installed window & seal the perimeter as normal.
The other option is to install the panel, but leave a space at the head of the window opening for a piece of trim that gets installed after the window. Install the window, again flashing the head to the header. Then slip a piece of head casing with Z flashing attached to it into the space left earlier, being sure to slide the Z flashing behind the WRB.
This method allows us to trim windows & doors as normal, with a head casing, 2 legs, & a sill. The only difference is the head casing needs to be thicker than the legs by the thickness of the siding (assuming the legs will be installed over the panel). It also provides for 2 points of flashing at the heads.