Common Challenges in Wood Lateral System Layouts

Creative structures are becoming increasingly common to differentiate projects in the highly competitive commercial and multi-family construction market. However, aesthetically pleasing shapes can create challenging lateral load paths and structural irregularities that are difficult to define and resolve. This presentation will explore lateral system layout challenges that often occur during the schematic design of wood-frame buildings. Topics will include cantilever diaphragm design, impacts of large openings at elevators and stairs, discontinuous shear walls, relative stiffness issues between shear walls and diaphragms, vertical and horizontal offsets in lateral force-resisting systems, and combinations of different lateral systems (such as masonry and wood-sheathed shear walls). Actual design examples will be presented throughout to give real world context for these common challenges.

Speaker: Terry Malone, PE SE, WoodWorks

CEU Credit Information:

• Attendees can Earn 1.5 AIA/CES HSW LUs, 1.5 PDH credits or 0.15 ICC credits
• WoodWorks will send each attendee a certificate of completion within 2 weeks via email.
• Please note that to receive a certificate, attendees must stay for the duration of the event.

For questions or additional information, please contact:

LeeAnn Charpentier, CMP | WoodWorks

Email: leeann.charpentier@woodworks.org | Ph: 301-633-0330

Photo Credit: Mosaic Gardens at Westlake / Lahmon Architects / Benny Chan