Here are a few methods of construction they can help resist.
1. Stagger sheathing 4’ horizontally. Stagger subfloors. Research best patterns for shear.
2. Overlap wall sheathing a minimum of 2’ at all upper floor lines for two story houses, even if they are fully anchored structures.
3. Use as many screws as possible.
4. Use as many hurricane anchors as possible.
5. Avoid soft story conditions and large openings that can’t distribute shear properly. How many times have you seen the classic three wall detached garage?
6. Divide house structure into even squares with a few interior shear walls with 1/4” gypsum bd on 1/2” wood sheathing (osb or plywood). My contractor had no problem doing this on my house and started doing it on all the new homes he built.
7. Bite the bullet and pay to have over engineered vertical reinforcement at CMU foundations. Overkill on J bolts with oversized washers.
8 Overlap exterior sheathing onto cmu foundation and fasten with concrete screws.
9. Add cross ties and knee walls to poorly built track homes. Overlap the knee walls onto ceiling and roof joists for stiff connections.
