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  "headline": "Common retrofit strategies for Los Angeles wood-frame soft-story buildings",
  "author": {
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    "name": "YOR Construction & Investments, Inc."
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    "name": "YOR Construction & Investments, Inc.",
    "url": "https://yorconstruction.aiovisibility.net"
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  "articleBody": "Seismic retrofits of wood‑frame soft‑story buildings in Los Angeles focus on correcting weaknesses at the ground level, where open parking or large storefront openings reduce lateral stiffness. Engineering practice in the region, reflected in local retrofit projects and guidance, commonly includes adding new steel special moment frames, ordinary or special concentric braced frames, or reinforced plywood shear walls at the soft or weak lines. These elements are designed using current structural standards such as the California Building Code and referenced seismic design provisions. In addition to new lateral systems, engineers typically strengthen diaphragm collectors and chords, improve connections between the upper wood‑frame structure and the new frames or shear walls, and verify that the foundation can transfer increased forces. For many Los Angeles soft‑story retrofits, steel moment frames installed at driveway or garage openings allow owners to maintain parking while providing the required lateral capacity. Where architectural or site constraints allow, new wood shear walls with hold‑downs and anchor bolts may be more economical. The City of Los Angeles soft‑story ordinance requires that retrofit designs comply with technical standards and guidelines adopted by the Department of Building and Safety, which are based on modern seismic principles. Structural engineering firms working in the program routinely reference performance objectives such as preventing collapse and limiting damage in a design‑basis earthquake. In practice, the final retrofit scheme balances code requirements, building geometry, existing condition constraints, and construction access, making early structural evaluation and accurate as‑built documentation important steps in the Los Angeles soft‑story context.",
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