why not use retaining walls to resist orthogonal shear?
why not use retaining walls to resist orthogonal shear?
(OP)
dont know why this has never come up before, but say you have a daylight basement with a story above it. why not use the retaining walls to resist the shear (applied perpendicular to the walls) that would be normally taken by the daylight wall, therefore leaving it possible to be say, entirely glass. what issues arise? please discuss.






RE: why not use retaining walls to resist orthogonal shear?
RE: why not use retaining walls to resist orthogonal shear?
I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.
RE: why not use retaining walls to resist orthogonal shear?
Would be hard to make it meet energy code, but having the glass wall 'float' without a ridged connection to the diaphragm and perpendicular retaining walls is possible (in my imagination at least).