abusementpark
Structural
For typical wood structures with load bearing walls, either the top plates of exterior walls or a continuous fascia board is used as the diaphragm chord member. How do you guys normally handle wall offsets or other discontinuities that disturb the force transfer?
For example, see the attachment for a hypothetical one story wood structures with load bearing walls and either trusses or joists framing the roof. For lateral load applied in the direction indicated, the two available shear walls are the left and right exterior walls. So, we need continuous chord members between these shear walls.
How would you handle the condition shown along the bottom wall if you were using either the wall top plates or a fascia board as your chord member? There would be a discontinuity near the center of the diaphragm span.
For example, see the attachment for a hypothetical one story wood structures with load bearing walls and either trusses or joists framing the roof. For lateral load applied in the direction indicated, the two available shear walls are the left and right exterior walls. So, we need continuous chord members between these shear walls.
How would you handle the condition shown along the bottom wall if you were using either the wall top plates or a fascia board as your chord member? There would be a discontinuity near the center of the diaphragm span.