seismic joint

[fbmok]

When do I have to have a seismic joint?
I have wood apartment all around the core concrete parking garage, do I have to have the seismic joint between the apartment and garage? Please advise. Thanks.

 

[msquared48]

Depends on whether or not you want the garage to take basically all of the lateral or not.

Mike McCann, PE, SE

 

[fbmok]

Thanks for the response Mike. In other words, if I don't use the seismic joint and use concrete walls in the garage to take all the loads, then I do not have to have the seismic joint, am I correct? If so, I'd rather to take the approach to avoid using seismic joint.

 

[msquared48]

Kinda what I'm getting at. Can you post a plan of the proposed arrangement for others to comment on too?

Mike McCann, PE, SE

 

[EngineeringEric]

I am assuming (?) that Mike is implying that all the load will go to the most rigid element in the lateral system when using different systems. Timber shear wall vs concrete shear wall. In that case, when all is tied together and the deflection of the entire system is equal... the concrete takes most of the load. Or maybe Mike meant something else that gives the same result

If you are multi-story, you also need to consider vertical movement between 3 floors of shrinking/expanding timber as opposed to static concrete.

 

[msquared48]

That is what I am saying.

Mike McCann, PE, SE