Lateral Systems

Braced Frames – truss structures that provide diagonal paths for moving the lateral loads through the structure in vertical planes
Building Configuration – the form, geometry, scale, arrangement of the building mass and structure
Cross Bracing – bracing used in frames that resist lateral forces in two or more directions
Diaphragms – structural elements that resist and collect lateral forces in the horizontal planes of a structure and transfer them to the vertical bearing elements
Drift – deflection of a building under lateral loads
Earthquake (Seismic) Forces – lateral forces caused by the shifting of plates below the earth’s surface that act mostly at the base of a structure
Knee (K) Bracing – short diagonal bracing linking horizontal and vertical members that effectively makes a rigid connection where two members are pinned
Moment Resistant Frames – structural systems that are constructed with rigidly connected joints
Re-Entrant Corners – differential stiffness in a structure caused by irregular geometries
Shear Walls – structural elements made of rigid materials that resist lateral loads in the vertical plane
Soft Story – the result of insufficient strength and stiffness of a specific floor structure that is inconsistent with the rest of the building floors
Torsion – a twisting effect that results when applied loads located at the center of mass of a structure do not coincide with the center of stiffness
Wind Forces – lateral forces caused by wind that affect the exposed surface area of a structure