Pattern 217
Perimeter Beams
Context Box Columns216 · Floor-Ceiling Vaults219 · Floor and Ceiling Layout210
Problem
Without a continuous tie at their tops, walls can give way individually or drift apart, especially under uneven loads or ground movement.
Solution
Tie the tops of all the walls together with one continuous perimeter beam that spreads the loads evenly and binds the whole building into a single connected structure.