Corner to corner bracing - as in barns....fence gates...

Our home in the mountains of California was a pier and beam A-frame
and all walls on the exterior were heavy thickness of ply. The frame
is bolted to the various piers and concrete bases.

Earthquakes would roll the ground - yes like water waves - and the shear
walls prevented the stick wood of the building from 'racking' and going flat.
e.g. top floor sliding to the side as the walls tilted that way...

Having ply on inside and outside of the walls prevented ripple effect that
might buckle and pop off some sheets in various quakes.

Remember the kids will not stand still but rush to side to side if
it becomes exciting - e.g. swing faster as it whips the body this way and that.

Martin

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
"Our Republic and the Press will Rise or Fall Together": Joseph Pulitzer
TSRA: Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Originator & Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member. http://lufkinced.com/

On 9/19/2010 8:32 AM, Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
On Sep 18, 10:08 pm, "Martin H.
wrote:
I'd consider one diagonal under the slide to act as a shear wall for
that axis.

That's a good idea but I needed to preserve the aesthetics of the
thing at least a little. Plus when I look at how it moves, the swing
rail was only torquing in a circle and swaying as well all in the same
plane. The plane shared by the diagonal.

By the way, what is the term for such a diagonal bracing? "Corner
Bracing" is for the smaller stuff, no?