Structural Design

Lateral loading is often the main focus of designing a secure and stable structure. It is also the hardest to understand and the most commonly overlooked by architects, contractors and homeowners. Once the lateral load is determined the actual design of the elements are very similar, except in high seismic…

If you want to build a new building, you may ask: What should I use as the building material? What are my options? The three commonly used structural materials are wood, steel, and concrete. Each has its benefits and limitations, making each best for different cases, with a combination usually…

A knee brace is a diagonal structural component used in wood framing to enhance the stability and load-bearing capacity of a building. Typically, knee braces are short braces typically placed in corners and are almost always positioned at a 45-degree angle, rather than spanning the full height of the structure.…

Wall studs are vertical framing members in wood construction that provide support for walls, carry vertical loads from the roof and floors, and resist lateral forces. These components are essential to the structural integrity of a building, forming the skeleton of walls onto which sheathing, drywall, and other materials are…