Braced Wall Panel:
A braced wall panel is a section of a braced wall line that has the ability to
resist lateral forces created by winds and seismic eventss.
Braced Wall Line:
A braced wall line per the International Residential Code (IRC) is an exterior or
interior wall line that contains braced wall panels within 12.5 feet of both ends (or 8 feet in Seismic Design Categories D0, D1 or D2), and 25 feet on center throughout the length of the braced wall line. Braced wall lines must occur every 25-35 feet depending upon your Seismic Design Category and wind zone. Braced wall panels are permitted to be offset from the braced wall line up to 4 feet on either side of the braced wall line. An
offset greater than 4 feet is treated as an additional braced wall line.
Prefabricated Panel:
A prefabricated panel is a manufactured wall panel that is equivalent to a
braced wall panel for use in a narrow section of wall. These panels can be used
as a substitute for the 8 traditional methods of wall bracing. When calculating
the percentage of bracing within a braced wall line, each narrow prefabricated
braced wall panel counts as 4 feet of bracing.
Eight Traditional Methods of Bracing:
Methods used to construct braced wall panels used in light framed structures
(See Wall Bracing 401 for individual
descriptions, recommendations and images).
Continuous Sheathing:
Continuous sheathing is a method of bracing a wall that requires the entire wall line to be covered with wood structural panel sheathing meeting all the provisions set forth in the IRC, which includes special nailing details at corners.
Conventional Construction:
Conventional construction is a level of design generally based on traditional
construction methods and materials that have a history of good performance for
specific building types and sizes. Both conventionally-specified and pre-calculated members and connections are prescriptively specified and may be combined to form a structure or structural assembly.
IRC:
IRC is an abbreviation for International Residential Code. This code details
acceptable building practices used in one- and two-family dwellings and
townhouses. It is commonly referred to as a prescriptive building practice.
IBC:
IBC is an abbreviation for International Building Code. This code provides guidance to designers and engineers for the design and installation of building systems through requirements emphasizing performance.
Shear Wall:
A wall designed (engineered) to resist lateral forces parallel to the plane of
the wall. The difference between a shear wall and a braced wall panel is that a
braced wall panel has predetermined construction details (materials, length,
nailing patterns, anchorage, etc.), whereas the construction details for a shear
wall are determined through calculations by a design professional.
Ductility:
Ductility is the measure of the ability to resist loads while experiencing large
movements that are outside the elastic range. This attribute increases life
safety by helping the structure remain standing while being subjected to large
displacements.
Damping:
Damping is the ability to absorb energy in a controlled, predictable manner to
reduce movement of the structure in an earthquake. Products with good damping
characteristics act like the shock absorbers in your car - absorbing energy
during movement so the car shakes less.
R Factor:
R factor or Response modification factor is a seismic design load reduction
factor based upon the entire structural frame system that accounts for
ductility, damping and other compatibility characteristics.
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