Single-plate shear connection design to meet structural integrity requirements

Abstract

Specific prescriptive structural integrity provisions have been added to both model and local building codes since the collapse of the buildings at the World Trade Center site in 2001. The first building code to incorporate specific requirements was the 2008 New York City Building Code, which was followed quickly by the 2009 International Building Code. This paper demonstrates how properly designed single-plate shear connections comply with the structural integrity provisions of IBC 2009 and also make appropriate comparisons with NYC 2008.