Any horizontal force—from wind, earthquakes, or soil pressure—that pushes sideways on a structure.
A horizontal force acting on a structure caused by wind pressure, earthquake ground motion, soil or hydrostatic pressure, or other horizontal loads. Lateral forces must be resisted by the building's lateral force-resisting system, which may include shear walls, braced frames, or moment frames. Building codes specify minimum lateral force requirements based on location, building height, and occupancy.
The building's lateral force-resisting system must handle a design wind pressure of 30 psf on the windward wall.
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