Coastal and Floodplain Construction Inspector's Practice Exam

What component provides overturning restraint to shearwall segments at each level?

1. Bracing elements

2. Anchor bolts

3. Holddowns

4. Shear panels

The correct answer is: Holddowns

The correct answer is holddowns. Holddowns are critical components in shear wall systems as they provide the necessary overturning restraint to the shear wall segments at each level. When lateral forces, such as wind or seismic loads, are applied to a building, these forces generate moments that can cause the structure to overturn. Holddowns counteract this uplift or overturning moment by anchoring the shear wall to the foundation, ensuring that the shear wall remains in position and can effectively transfer forces back to the ground. Bracing elements, while essential for stabilizing structures and resisting lateral movement, do not specifically provide overturning restraint but rather resist lateral forces more directly. Anchor bolts serve to secure elements to their bases, but they primarily resist shear forces and do not directly prevent overturning. Shear panels contribute to the overall stiffness of the structure and help with load distribution but do not provide a direct method of overturning restraint as holddowns do. Thus, holddowns are the key components that specifically address the need for resisting overturning at each level of shear wall segments.