___________ walls provide additional structural support to prevent building failures under unusual loading such as earthquakes or wind storms.

Shear walls are specially designed structural elements within a building that resist lateral forces typically caused by wind or seismic activity. By providing this additional structural support, they help maintain the integrity of the building under unusual loading conditions.

Shear walls are typically constructed of reinforced concrete or plywood and are placed strategically within a structure to create a rigid frame. This frame enables the building to effectively transfer and dissipate the forces exerted on it, thereby preventing catastrophic failures. Their placement and design are crucial to ensure the building remains stable when subjected to natural forces like earthquakes, which is why they play a pivotal role in the overall safety of structures.

In contrast, load-bearing walls primarily support vertical loads from the roof and upper floors, partition walls divide interior spaces but do not carry structural loads, and retaining walls are designed to hold back soil or other materials. Each of these serves distinct purposes related to the overall integrity and functionality of a building, but it is the shear walls that specifically address the need for stability against lateral forces.