2018 IRC Braced Wall Lines

[Ben29]

Does 2018 IRC allow you to have more braced wall lines on the 1st floor of a house than the 3rd floor? For instance, on the bottom floor of the house, can I have an additional braced wall line down the center of the house so that I can meet the minimum length requirements for the end walls? I'm sure the answer is no, because I assume the prescriptive braced wall length factors in the stories above.

 

[ChorasDen]

What does the code language say? What section are you concerned with, is there any particular provision that is causing confusion?

 

[XR250]

What could be a reason for not allowing this?

 

[JoeTXPE]

Yes. The prescriptive and engineered methods permitted in the 2018 IRC allow more braced wall lines at the first floor than at the upper floors.