Base shear, or the horizontal force at the base of a building during an earthquake, depends on three main factors: (1) the weight of the building, with heavier buildings experiencing higher base shears; (2) the stiffness of the building, with stiffer buildings experiencing higher base shears than more flexible buildings; and (3) the distance from an earthquake fault, with buildings closer to faults experiencing more violent shaking and higher base shears. The ability of a structure to dissipate energy through ductility is also important for earthquake resistance beyond just resisting forces.