Base Shear

Plain Definition: The total horizontal force at the base of a building during an earthquake.

Technical Description: Calculated as V = Cs × W, where Cs is the seismic response coefficient and W is the seismic weight.

Use in Design: Basis for designing lateral force-resisting elements like shear walls and moment frames.

Meta Title: Base Shear Explained | Earthquake Engineering Glossary

Meta Description: Learn what base shear is and how it’s calculated in seismic design.

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