Leaderboard

Diaphragms connect all individual members into a seismic force resisting system. If you have concrete floors, it is imperative that your floor will do the above mentioned job plus distribute the seismic load to all the connecting members too. Diaphragms can be rigid or flexible depending upon their stiffness. For practise in Pakistan, if your flooring is type conc slab > 5" consider your diaphragm to be rigid. A rigid diaphragm distributes forces to connecting members based on connecting members stiffness, where as a flexible diaphragm distributes loading based on tributary areas of supporting members to diaphragm. Take diaphragm as a frame that connects all members, and makes them act together.