ABSTRACT
Chapter 6 introduced the global critical load ratio as the ratio of the global critical load to the total vertical load of the building. Through two sets of comprehensive series of worked examples involving different bracing system arrangements of the same building, it is shown in this chapter how the global critical load ratio is calculated in different situations. In addition, it is also shown here that the global critical load ratio is more than a simple ratio of two quantities; it also gives a strong indication regarding the performance of the structure. The greater the global critical load ratio, the better the performance of the bracing system, as far as the maximum top deflection, the fundamental frequency and the stability of the building are concerned. The numbers of the equations used for the calculations are given in curly brackets on the right-hand side.
