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Wayne Whitney

On 2009-06-28,
wrote:

In a free-standing garage, where one wall is almost entirely absent
to make a door opening, what parts of the structure prevent the door
wall from racking?

If you read the responses so far (especially Bob's), then you have a
pretty complete answer, but I thought it would be useful to summarize
them in one post. The options a

1) Braced wall panels on either side of the opening
2) A moment resisting frame around the opening
3) A diaphragm above and braced walls on the other three sides

Option 1) can be done with conventional framing and sheathing if the
wall segments are wide enough. Otherwise pre-built shear wall
segments such as those made by Simpson or Shearmax may be used.

Option 2) can be implemented in wood or steel and requires
moment-resisting connections in the corners. In wood this is done
with a large header the full length of wall with appropriate detailing
between the sheathing on the end segments and the header.

Option 3) works like this: with unequal lateral resistance in the two
wall segments running in the given direction, when a lateral force is
applied in that direction, the building will rotate, allowing the
lateral resistance of the perpendicular wall segments to be engaged to
resist the lateral force.

Cheers, Wayne