shear wall

1. It probably depends on local building regulations...

You do not give your location...

2. I'd assume all exterior walls would need to be shear walls, and maybe interior ones too.

3. see 2.

I simply Googled 'Shear wall' the Wikpedia definition was quite helpful.

Del

"Other methods include rigid frames, braced frames and shear walls combined with rigid frames".

Hi sir, thank you for your response. I put quote from your response, what is the difference between rigid frames, braced frames and shear walls combined with rigid frame?

Rigid frames are composed of members which carry lateral load primarily by bending moments. The simplest example is two columns pin connected at the bottom with a beam joining the columns at the top. This rigid frame carries lateral load by developing bending moments at the beam/column junctions. More complex examples have multiple columns and beams interconnected to resist lateral force by end moments.

Braced frames carry lateral load primarily by axial forces. The simplest example is two columns and a beam with a diagonal member connecting the top of one column with the bottom of the other. The braced frame carries lateral load primarily by developing tension or compression in the diagonal member. Other types of bracing can also be used, i.e. "X", "V" or "K" bracing, but the principal is similar.

Shear walls combined with rigid frames are often used in high reinforced concrete buildings. The shear walls are linked at each floor level to the rigid frames. The way they share load can be determined by carrying out a finite element analysis. In very high buildings, because of the way they deform, shear walls tend to "hog" the load in the lower storeys while rigid frames tend to "hog" the load in the upper storeys.

The elevator cores of high buildings are sometimes used as shear walls, channels or hollow sections. If they are too close together, they do not offer good torsional resistance to the building as a whole. In these cases, the structural engineer tries to find additional opportunities to engage lateral resistance remote from the center of gravity of the building. Due to architectural considerations, these tend to be rigid frames or frames coupled with shear walls.

Each situation is different and the structural engineer has to assess the lateral stability of a building very early in the design process. It is by far the most difficult element in building design in my opinion.

What I can say sir is Thank you very much. Actually I have more querries bout structural designing, but I know this is too much. Thanks again

You are welcome. I'm glad I was able to help.