A method for modifying a shear band having a thickness of H REF and a total number of reinforcement layers of N REF, the method comprising the steps of: determining the vertical stiffness of the shear band and (G eff *A) REF using a thickness for the shear band of H REF and a total of N REF reinforcement layers (130, 140) for the shear band, where (G eff *A) REF is the product of the effective shear modulus G eff and the total cross-sectional area A of the shear band; selecting a target value H TARGET as the target thickness for the shear band; increasing by 1 the total number of reinforcement layers (130, 140) in the shear band; calculating (G eff *A) CALC, where (G eff *A) CALC is the product of the effective shear modulus G eff and the total cross-sectional area A using a thickness of H TARGET for the shear band and using the total number of reinforcement layers (130, 140) provided by said increasing step for the shear band; comparing (G eff *A) CALC from said calculating step with (G eff *A) REF from said determining step and, if (G eff *A) CALC is less than (G eff *A) REF, then repeating said increasing step and said calculating step until (G eff *A) CALC is greater than or about equal to (G eff *A) REF and the total number of reinforcement layers (130, 140) becomes N TOTAL, where N TOTAL is the total number of reinforcement layers at which (G eff *A) CALC becomes greater than or about equal to the (G eff *A) REF; computing the vertical stiffness using a thickness of H TARGET for the shear band and the number of reinforcement layers N TOTAL for the shear band as provided by said comparing step; and referring to the vertical stiffness from said computing step and the vertical stiffness from said determining step and, if the vertical stiffness from said computing step is less than the vertical stiffness from said determining step, then moving at least one of the reinforcement layers (130, 140) between an outermost reinforcement layer and an innermost reinforcement layer to a new position in the shear band that is closer to either the outermost reinforcement layer or the innermost reinforcement layer, and repeating said computing and referring steps until the vertical stiffness from said computing step is greater than or about equal to the vertical stiffness from said determining step. determining the vertical stiffness of the shear band and (G eff *A) REF using a thickness for the shear band of H REF and a total of N REF reinforcement layers (130, 140) for the shear band, where (G eff *A) REF is the product of the effective shear modulus G eff and the total cross-sectional area A of the shear band; selecting a target value H TARGET as the target thickness for the shear band; increasing by 1 the total number of reinforcement layers (130, 140) in the shear band; calculating (G eff *A) CALC, where (G eff *A) CALC is the product of the effective shear modulus G eff and the total cross-sectional area A using a thickness of H TARGET for the shear band and using the total number of reinforcement layers (130, 140) provided by said increasing step for the shear band; comparing (G eff *A) CALC from said calculating step with (G eff *A) REF from said determining step and, if (G eff *A) CALC is less than (G eff *A) REF, then repeating said increasing step and said calculating step until (G eff *A) CALC is greater than or about equal to (G eff *A) REF and the total number of reinforcement layers (130, 140) becomes N TOTAL, where N TOTAL is the total number of reinforcement layers at which (G eff *A) CALC becomes greater than or about equal to the (G eff *A) REF; computing the vertical stiffness using a thickness of H TARGET for the shear band and the number of reinforcement layers N TOTAL for the shear band as provided by said comparing step; and referring to the vertical stiffness from said computing step and the vertical stiffness from said determining step and, if the vertical stiffness from said computing step is less than the vertical stiffness from said determining step, then moving at least one of the reinforcement layers (130, 140) between an outermost reinforcement layer and an innermost reinforcement layer to a new position in the shear band that is closer to either the outermost reinforcement layer or the innermost reinforcement layer, and repeating said computing and referring steps until the vertical stiffness from said computing step is greater than or about equal to the vertical stiffness from said determining step.