Structural Engineering · Engineering Glossary
A holdown is a metal connector that anchors the end post of a shear wall to the foundation or to the framing below, resisting the uplift tension force that develops when a shear wall is subjected to lateral wind or seismic loads. Without holdowns, a shear wall can overturn rather than resist the lateral force.
When a shear wall resists a lateral force, it acts like a lever arm — one end wants to lift up in tension while the other end is in compression. The holdown, typically a steel strap or bracket with anchor bolts into the concrete and structural screws or bolts into the wood post, resists this uplift force. Holdown capacity must equal or exceed the calculated uplift demand from the lateral load analysis. In multi-story wood-frame buildings, holdowns must be stacked vertically from floor to floor and connected through the floor framing to develop continuous load paths. Apex Grid designs holdown systems for wood-frame shear walls in commercial and residential projects.
Apex Grid Engineering maintains this glossary as a resource for architects, contractors, developers, and property owners who encounter unfamiliar engineering terminology on their projects.
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