Up to the Test: The Heavy Seated Knife Plate Beam Hanger for Mass Timber Paul McEntee In response to the increasing demand for mass timber construction, Simpson Strong-Tie has created mass timber solutions for these builds. These product additions include our Heavy Seated Knife Plate (HSKP), ACBH concealed beam hanger, and CBH concealed beam hanger. Gain insights into... Read More March 2024 Issue #16296 Page 108
A New Wood Construction Connectors Catalog for the New Year Bryan Wert We just released our updated Wood Construction Connectors catalog (C-C-2024) which features our product line that has a legacy that started in 1956. This year’s 372-page version begins with a colorful, attention-grabbing cover design and is packed inside with all the technical details that... Read More February 2024 Issue #16295 Page 100
Developing High-Capacity Tension Straps for Mass Timber Engineering Paul McEntee Mass timber buildings use cross-laminated timber (CLT) or mass plywood panels to create horizontal diaphragms to transfer wind and seismic forces into the vertical elements of the lateral-force-resisting system. Spline connections resist shear forces at the panel joints, which I discussed in... Read More January 2024 Issue #16294 Page 100
Do Your Floor Truss Chord Splices Meet Your Design Requirements? Glenn Traylor It seems like a simple thing—connect lumber together with connectors creating a top or bottom chord for your floor trusses that exceed your lumber length inventory. It’s one of the simplest applications of metal connector plates. But, while the task seems obvious, there are several... Read More December 2023 Issue #15293 Page 31
Innovation Redefined: The Future of Structural Testing with Our Million Pound Rig Simpson Strong-Tie Staff The future of full-scale structures testing and product development is here – and it is BIG. Our Tyrell Gilb Research Laboratory built a brand-new Million Pound Rig to help in the testing of our new Yield-Link® brace connection (YLBC), along with our many other products. Hear from Mike... Read More December 2023 Issue #15293 Page 102
The Exciting World of Building Technology: The View from a Simpson Strong-Tie Sales Representative Simpson Strong-Tie Staff A Territory Sales Representative for Simpson Strong-Tie, John Kemper shares his perspective on the thrilling opportunities and challenges presented by working in Building Technology. He highlights the significance of ongoing learning, setting goals, and having mentors in achieving professional... Read More November 2023 Issue #15292 Page 104
Top Five Most Downloaded Engineering Letters Simpson Strong-Tie Staff Prior to joining Simpson Strong-Tie, I spent 13 years working as consulting structural engineer. As a specifier, I was amazed at the number of resources Simpson made available to me. From software, to blogs, to design guides, there were many resources to help me solve problems and streamline the... Read More October 2023 Issue #15291 Page 114
From CEO to Legacy: Welcome to the Karen Colonias Research Lab David Huerta As the current lab manager of the newly renamed Karen Colonias Research Laboratory, I’m proud to share what our lab does and what Karen meant to us. Our lab is responsible for testing new and existing connector, fastener and Truss plate products in support of our product development... Read More September 2023 Issue #15290 Page 108
Why Fire-Rated Hangers Are Required in Type III Wood-Frame Buildings Paul McEntee One of the first mixed-use designs I worked on as a consulting structural engineer was a four-story wood-frame building over two levels of parking. Designing the main lateral-force-resisting system with plywood shearwalls was a challenge for this project that required new details to meet the... Read More August 2023 Issue #15289 Page 108
The H1A Hurricane Tie – An Update for a Classic Paul McEntee Simpson Strong-Tie recently released an updated model of our H1 – now the H1A. As a consulting engineer, I remember how much I disliked updating my standard details when products were discontinued. I thought it would be informative to explain the modifications and some of the reasons for... Read More July 2023 Issue #15288 Page 108