Complex Diaphragms With Combined Openings and Offsets - The Analysis of Irregular Shaped Structures - page 274

F i g u r e 8.1 First-loor plan, complex structure.
• There are several second-floor shear walls at grid lines C, D, and 2 that do not
line up and are of different lengths, creating in-plane offsets.
• The second-floor shear walls that occur at grid line 1.3 are horizontally offset
from grid line 1, creating discontinuous shear walls.
• The minimal number of walls between grid lines 2 and 5 from A to D places a
high demand on the lateral-force-resisting system. For the sake of the example,
it is assumed that their location and placement are governed by architectural
constraints.
• The second-floor diaphragm between grid lines 2 and 4 has an opening that is
greater than 50 percent of the depth of the diaphragm, creating a notched dia-
phragm in both the transverse and longitudinal directions. See Fig. 8.3.
• A horizontal offset at grid line 4 from B.1 to C.3 creates a disruption in the strut
at grid line 4, which complicates the transfer of wind loads acting on the wall
along grid line A.