Florida Building Code Practice Exam

A shear wall is designed to resist which type of forces?

1. Lateral forces parallel

2. Longitudinal forces parallel

3. Lateral forces perpendicular

4. Longitudinal forces perpendicular

The correct answer is: Lateral forces parallel

A shear wall is specifically designed to resist lateral forces that act parallel to the wall itself. These forces typically arise from wind or seismic activity, which create horizontal loads acting on a building structure. The primary function of a shear wall is to provide stability and prevent lateral movement, ensuring that the building can withstand these external forces without deforming or collapsing. In the context of the Florida Building Code, ensuring that structures are equipped with effective shear walls is crucial for maintaining safety and integrity in environments prone to hurricanes and other lateral load-generating conditions. Understanding the forces that shear walls are meant to counteract is essential for effective structural design. While lateral forces perpendicular to the wall or longitudinal forces (whether parallel or perpendicular) may impact overall structural behavior, they are not the primary forces that shear walls are intended to resist. Instead, shear walls serve a specific role in managing lateral forces that could compromise the strength and stability of a building during extreme weather events or seismic occurrences.