Coupling Beam Design

Coupling beams are beams typically added to a structure to improve its lateral force resistance. They bridge two separate, independent items together (like shear walls) to add stiffness to the overall system. They are usually short and thick, similar to deep beams.

Coupling beams are beams typically added to a structure to improve its lateral force resistance. They bridge two separate, independent items together (like shear walls) to add stiffness to the overall system. They are usually short and thick, similar to deep beams.

A coupling beam is used to combine two shear walls or other elements that are used to resist lateral loads. The main purpose of the coupling beam is to increase the stiffness of the structural system. Due to high storey forces acting at the top of the structure, high stiffness needed to resist these forces