Abstract: Different criterions are established for inter-storey lateral stiffness ratio of frame-supported shear-wall structures in current codes. Analogous to the deformation characteristics of an ideal cantilever element, the lateral stiffness requirements of the transfer story in a high-rise building is put forward, which is determined according to the deformation of an ideal element. A number of elastic and elastic-plastic analyses of typical frame-supported shear wall structures are carried out. These structures are designed according to different lateral stiffness criterions and are excited by various earthquake waves. A comparison shows that the storey lateral stiffness criterion proposed in this paper is more reasonable than those in current codes.