2308.6.6 Cripple Wall Bracing

Cripple walls shall be braced in accordance with Section 2308.6.6.1 or 2308.6.6.2.

For the purposes of this section, cripple walls in Seismic Design Categories A, B and C having a stud height exceeding 14 inches (356 mm) shall be considered to be a story and shall be braced in accordance with Table 2308.6.1. Spacing of edge nailing for required cripple wall bracing shall not exceed 6 inches (152 mm) on center along the foundation plate and the top plate of the cripple wall. Nail size, nail spacing for field nailing and more restrictive boundary nailing requirements shall be as required elsewhere in the code for the specific bracing material used.

For the purposes of this section, cripple walls in Seismic Design Categories D and E having a stud height exceeding 14 inches (356 mm) shall be considered to be a story and shall be braced in accordance with Table 2308.6.1. Where interior braced wall lines occur without a continuous foundation below, the length of parallel exterior cripple wall bracing shall be one and one-half times the lengths required by Table 2308.6.1. Where the cripple wall sheathing type used is Method WSP or DWB and this additional length of bracing cannot be provided, the capacity of WSP or DWB sheathing shall be increased by reducing the spacing of fasteners along the perimeter of each piece of sheathing to 4 inches (102 mm) on center.