×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Seismic retrofit with common wall

Seismic retrofit with common wall

Seismic retrofit with common wall

(OP)
I own the end-unit of a 6-unit townhouse complex and am interested in a seismic retrofit (mainly reinforcing the cripple walls and upgrading the foundation anchor bolts). However, I share a wall with my neighbor and am concerned that my house would be bearing the brunt of the energy if he doesn't similarly stiffen his property. At the very least, I would think that there would be an increased risk of our properties separating at the common wall in the event of an earthquake. While it sounds appealing that my unit would be the only one standing, I can imagine all sorts of problems in that scenario, such as the loss of structural integrity if the common wall is missing, or if my neighbor's house bangs against mine for the duration of the earthquake.

I'm not a structural engineer, so I would appreciate any advice.

By the way; the houses were built in 1981. The mudsills are bolted to the foundation but there are no washers or bearing plates, the cripple walls are not reinforced, and the first floor is not secured to the cripple wall.

RE: Seismic retrofit with common wall

2003 International Existing Building Code

Chapter A3: Prescriptive Provisions For Seismic Strengthening of Cripple Walls and Sill Plate Anchorage of Light, Wood-Frame Residential Buildings

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources