IBC shear requirements for irregular structure 1

[shaneelliss]

I am looking at a house plan in seismic design category D. It has two full stories plus a basement that has a stick framed portion in the rear for a walkout. The engineer used the tables in IBC section 2306 for shear wall values.

My question is, if the engineer has provided calculations to show that the shear walls can resist the forces induced by wind or earthquake based on section 2306, does the plan also have to meet the any of the other requirements in IBC section 2308 (conventional light frame construction), such as the restriction on masonry veneer, braced line wall spacing no more than 25', and the requirement to have a braced line wall panel not more than 8' from each end of the braced wall line?

 

[JAE]

I think the intent of the IBC, in terms of "light framed construction" is that LFC provides an empirical method of designing buildings to meet the code without actually calculating wind/seismic forces and doing a load path analysis/design.

So it's either/or. If you engineer the building to take the loads, then the light framed construction guidelines aren't applicable.

 

[shaneelliss]

Thanks JAE. That is the way I understood it as well, but wanted to get a second opinion.

 

[msquared48]

Thirded.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask