Earthquake and Lateral Bracing

Earthquake:
Earthquake is one of the most devastating natural disasters. A major earthquake of 7.5 on the
Richter-Scale has the potential to kill 88000 people and demolish 72000 buildings and cause
damage to another 86000 pucca structures in Dhaka city alone. The devastation could even be
worse in the port city of Chittagong because of its location along one of the fault lines. To
counteract this type of damage and to provide enough safety for people due to earthquake, most
engineers permit that the concept of lateral bracing assembly can be applied during construction
of any structure. A braced assembly is defined by a pair of stiles, a top member and bottom
member where diagonal braces and horizontal cross-braces create a triangular frame. Bracing is
applied vertically between two columns. This vertical element can resist the all up coming lateral
forces like earthquake so that it is called horizontal bracing system or, lateral bracing system. A
lateral bracing has different shapes, it can be Cross bracing, Knee bracing, K bracing, V bracing.
Three horizontal bracing systems can be used to resist earthquake forces. They are Braced frame
systems, Moment-resistant systems, Shear wall systems.
According to seismic zoning map prepared by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and
Technology (BUET),
43 percent areas of the country are rated as high risk, 43 percent medium risk and 16 per cent
low risk. Fortunately, none of the tremors that had jolted this land for over more than century had
been killer-type. It is though feared that the country runs the risk of being struck by major
earthquakes anytime. This premonition has unfortunately failed to generate the necessary urge
among the people and the successive governments to initiate damage-control measures.
Earthquake is a form of energy of wave motion, which originates in a limited region and
then spreads out in all directions from the source of disturbance. It usually lasts for a few seconds
to a minute. The effect of earthquake is the most important consideration in the construction of
modern building. In Bangladesh, complete earthquake monitoring facilities are not available so
that earthquake has a harmful effect more or less for any type of structure. The increase of the
magnitude of the earthquake causes the damages of a structure. A modern building is a structure
with more rigid at upper stories and flexible at the first storey. This design is found in that type of
buildings where first storey contains garage or an open commercial area for stores and the upper
floor contains office or residential apartments. This type of design creates a discontinuity of
strength or stiffness. If the first storey of a building is softer then the other stories, it more
damages occur due to earthquake because the first floor is generally highly loaded and thus
damage causing column failure.

Lateral Bracing:
Lateral bracing is the term that can help to keep the top chord from bending horizontally. In this
world, one of the primary concerns in any flexural design is the use of lateral bracing to control
lateral-torsional buckling. The concept of lateral bracing is not a new idea. In many countries in
this world, lateral bracing is used to provide more safety for a structure such as John Hancock
Building (Chicago, Illinois), Alcoa Building (San Francisco, California), IBM Office
Building
(Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania), Transamerica
Building
(San
Francisco,
California), Eiffel Tower (Paris, France) etc. Now-a-days the application of lateral bracing is

also increased in Bangladesh day-by-day. Crandell, J., and S. Herrenbruck (August

2006) states that Some important rules need to follow to provide lateral bracing. Bracing angle
must be at least 45 degrees and not more than 60 degrees from horizontal. Joseph A. Yura,
Ph.D, Professor Emeritus states that Design rules based on strength considerations only, such
as a 2% rule, can result in inadequate bracing systems. Both strength and stiffness of the brace
system must be checked. In the fourth edition of Steel Structures: Design and Behavior by
C.G. Salmon and J. E. Johnson, a five step procedure is given for the design of lateral
bracing. "Steel Structures: Design and Behavior," shows seven types of definite lateral support.
Such lateral support is attached to the compression flange and to the web-lateral support of the
compression flange being most common. Guide to the IRC Wood Wall Bracing Provisions
by American Planning association (APA) suggests that To provide the bracing for a
residential structure, use of the International Residential Code (IRC) is very important and
necessary to resist the lateral loads that can result from wind and seismic events.

Lateral Bracing System in Bangladesh:

Bangladesh is a country of seismic zone. In Bangladesh, many residential, commercial, industrial
structures which are constructed without considering the rules and regulations of Bangladesh
National Building Code (BNBC). There are different ways to ensure the enough safety of a
structure. Use of the lateral bracing in a structure is an economic solution which can ensure more
safety of a structure. This system may also be used to increase the strength of the structure. In
case of building different types of lateral bracing can be used such as, Cross Bracing, Knee
Bracing, K-Bracing, V-Bracing. Lateral bracing system depends upon the upcoming wind force
and seismic load. This system is more effective when the magnitude of wind force and seismic
load is very high on a building structure. Actually this lateral bracing system is not innovative
concept; it is a worldwide system which is used to ensure more safety of a structure against wind
force and seismic load. In case of low rise buildings where ground floor consists of garage, shop,
open place; lateral bracing system is more applicable and economical and in case of high rise
building lateral bracing system is needed at the every storey as well as top floor also.

Lateral Bracing System

Lateral Bracing System:

Lateral Bracing System is a world-wide concept to increase the strength of
a building structure. This design is found in buildings where the first storey
contains a parking garage or an open commercial area for stores and the
upper floors for house or offices or apartments.
This design creates a discontinuity of strength and stiffness. If all stories are
approximately equal in strength, the entire building would bend in an
earthquake. If the first storey is softer, or more flexible than the other
stories, the bending would concentrate there. Because the first floor is also
the most highly loaded, the problem is compounded, thus possibly causing
column failure.
This also will put additional stress on the connection between the first and
second stories and can cause the building to collapse. Building configuration
can have significant effect on how a building performs in an earthquake.
Generally the simpler the design and the more balanced the building and its

structural and non-structural components, the better the building will

perform during an earthquake.
Lateral Bracing is a Lateral Support of any structure to resist the upcoming Lateral Earth Pressure due to Earthquake.
Lateral bracing is the term to refer to any pieces on a structure that help keep the top chord from bending horizontally.
Figure-01 indicates a lateral bracing system between two columns,

Figure-01: Lateral Bracing System between two columns

According to Johnson. Mark. A, Senior Vice President, Code Councils

of Business and Product Development,Bracing is one of the most
critical, yet most misunderstood, safety elements in one- and two-family
dwellings and townhouses constructed under the IRC.

Different Types of Lateral Bracing System:

In the world there are different types of Lateral Bracing are used in structure.
The most commonly used Lateral Bracing are as follows,
a)
b)
c)
d)

Knee Bracing
Cross Bracing
K-Bracing
V-Bracing

a)

Knee Bracing:

A knee-brace system is a structural component that transfers wind pressures

exerted on the sidewalls and roof of a farm building to its foundation. This, of
course, induces shear and bending in the stud or pole. Knee braces are an
effective wind-bracing system for either pole or stud-framed farm buildings.
Figure 2.8 shows Knee Bracing system.
Figure-02 indicates a Knee Bracing System between two columns,

Drawing by Engr. Snehashish Bhattacharjee (Tushar), seasoft022.blogspot.com

Figure-02: Knee Bracing System between two columns

b)

Cross Bracing:

Cross bracing is a construction technique in which braces are crossed to form

an X shape to support a frame. Cross braces are often metal, but they can
also be made of wood. Cross bracing is used on many different types of
items including furniture, ship frames, walls and flooring. Virtually any type
of frame can be strengthened with a cross brace even building frames.
Figure-03 indicates a Cross Bracing System between two columns,

Drawing by Engr. Snehashish Bhattacharjee (Tushar), seasoft022.blogspot.com

Figure-03: Cross Bracing System between two columns

c)

K-Bracing:

K-bracing is that type of bracing system where braces connect to the

columns at mid-height.
Figure-04 indicates a K-Bracing System between two columns,

Drawing by Engr. Snehashish Bhattacharjee (Tushar), seasoft022.blogspot.com

Figure-04: K-Bracing System between two columns

d)

V-Bracing:

Inverted-V-braced frames are one type of Concentrically Braced Frame (CBF),

in which the centerlines of members form a vertical truss system to resist
lateral forces. As more emphasis has been placed on increasing ductility and
energy dissipation capability of all types of structures in modern codes,
design provision for a new type of braced frame, labeled the Special
Concentrically Braced Frame (SCBF), have been developed (Goel1992,
Bruneau et al. 1998).
Figure-05 indicates a V-Bracing System between two columns,

Drawing by Engr. Snehashish Bhattacharjee (Tushar), seasoft022.blogspot.com

Figure-05: V-Bracing System between two columns

Importance of Lateral Bracing System:

The load from gravity is easy to understand and constant on every house.
Lateral loads are just as constant, but they vary in force and are not as
recognized. The most common and universal lateral load is wind, with design
velocities that vary from 85 to 150 miles per hour across the United States.
The strongest wind loads, tornados, are not predictable and randomly occur

in every part of the country. While it is not affordable or reasonable to design

structures to withstand the strongest tornados, experience has taught us
how structures can resist wind speeds of up to 150 mph and protect not only
the inhabitants but also the integrity of the structure.
Similar experiences with seismic activity have helped building codes develop
methods that enable structures to survive earthquakes that used to cause
damage beyond repair.
Lateral bracing serves to break the top chord into smaller sections, giving it
more strength against any natural disaster.
A journal about the Importance of Bracing published on November 2002
written by Ian Giesler, ofICF Builders, involved with ICF's for many years
with a lot of experience in design, engineering to construction.
According to Mr. Ian Giesler,
A wall alignment bracing system is as much a standard tool for building with
ICFs as a paintbrush is to a painter. If you think that you can build perfect
walls without bracing systems, you're only kidding yourself. ICF walls may
look plumb, square and level without bracing, but typically they aren't. In
fact, many walls need even more than a wall alignment bracing system just
to get them close to a tolerable level.