What is the term for a roof or floor system that is constructed to transmit lateral forces to lateral load resisting structural elements?

The term for a roof or floor system that is designed to transmit lateral forces to lateral load-resisting structural elements is "diaphragm." In structural engineering, diaphragms are critical components that help distribute lateral loads, such as those caused by wind or seismic activity, to vertical supports like walls or columns.

Diaphragms work by acting as a rigid plane that maintains its shape during lateral loading, effectively converting lateral forces into vertical loads that can be transferred to the supporting elements. This functionality is crucial for providing overall stability and safety to the building structure.

The other terms—saddle, truss, and beam—serve different purposes in construction. A saddle is typically associated with roof shapes, a truss is a framework that supports loads in a triangulated arrangement, and a beam is primarily used to support vertical loads. They do not specifically focus on the lateral force transmission like diaphragms do.