A shear wall is a wall that is designed to

resist shear, the lateral (sānu) force that causes

the bulk of damage in earthquakes. Many
building codes mandate the use of such walls to
make homes safer and more stable, and
learning about them is an important part of
architectural education. Architects are obliged to think about these and other
safety features when they design a structure so that they can accommodate the
walls to make the structure sound while also aesthetically pleasing.

When a shear wall is built, it is constructed in the form of a line of heavily

braced and reinforced panels. In some regions, they are known as braced wall
lines for this very reason. The wall ideally connects two exterior walls, and
also braces other shear walls in the structure. Bracing is accomplished with
metal brackets and heavy timbers or support beams that keep the wall strong
and sturdy (spēcīgs).

An effective wall of this type is both stiff and strong. Stiffness alone will
not be enough, as the stiffer something is, the more brittle is becomes; a
cracker (sausiņš), for example, is stiff, but no one would rely on it in an
earthquake. Strength alone is also not sufficient, because objects can be
extremely strong, but still very giving. A stiff, strong wall, on the other hand,
resists lateral forces while providing support.