Joe Kannapell, PE

Home Building Technology, Part V: Early Truss Connection Innovators

Joe Kannapell, PE

Three midcentury forces converged to form the truss business we know today. First came the deluge of demand for affordable housing after World War II. Then came the prefabbers who addressed that need with trusses. And finally came the connector that made trusses into a blockbuster...

#17310 Cover image
May 2025
Issue #17310
Page 10
MiTek Staff

Multiple-Ply Girder Load Distribution Change in ANSI/TPI 1-2022

MiTek Staff

Girder trusses are trusses specially designed to carry extra load from tie-in trusses and equipment. If a single ply is insufficient to carry the entire load, the truss designer specifies a multiply girder, that is made of identical trusses and fastened together to act as one unit to support the...

#17310 Cover image
May 2025
Issue #17310
Page 138
Alpine Team

Hand Calculations for Maximum Gravity Reaction on Truss Design Drawings

Alpine Team

Building engineers rely on maximum gravity reactions (R+) from Truss Design Drawings (TDD) to design structural components. These maximum reactions are calculated based on load combinations specified by building codes, representing the highest downward forces which allow engineers to determine...

#17309 Cover image
April 2025
Issue #17309
Page 131
MiTek Staff

The Evolution of Product Testing in Engineering and Manufacturing

MiTek Staff

Product testing is the backbone of quality control in engineering and manufacturing, ensuring products are reliable, durable, and safe before reaching the market. Over the years, the testing processes have evolved dramatically, transitioning from manual inspections to highly sophisticated...

#17309 Cover image
April 2025
Issue #17309
Page 140
Simpson Strong-Tie Staff

Using Truss Self-Weight

Simpson Strong-Tie Staff

A benefit of using Simpson Strong-Tie’s CS Truss Studio™ is managing the relationship between the truss self-weight and the dead load. Truss self-weight is checked against all applied dead loads to verify that there is enough assumed “extra” dead load to account for the...

#17309 Cover image
April 2025
Issue #17309
Page 148
Jay Jones, P.E.

What the Latest ANSI/TPI-1 Updates Mean for Truss Designs

Jay Jones, P.E.

The ANSI/TPI 1 standard is a critical document that governs the design and quality criteria for metal plate-connected wood trusses. It serves as a guideline for truss manufacturers and engineers alike, providing the technical framework to design and construct reliable and code-compliant trusses...

#17308 Cover image
March 2025
Issue #17308
Page 116
Frank Woeste and  Joseph Loferski

Existing Deck Inspection—A Must for Springtime Celebrations

Frank Woeste and Joseph Loferski

A common denominator for deck collapses is a special family event, such as a graduation, wedding, birthday party, or family reunion. A properly designed and constructed 14-ft x 24-ft residential deck floor, designed for a 40 psf uniform live load, should safely support 84 occupants based on an...

#17308 Cover image
March 2025
Issue #17308
Page 124
Simpson Strong-Tie Staff

Managing Uplift Reactions

Simpson Strong-Tie Staff

Uplift reactions are the result of a set of conditions that generally includes load types, load combinations, bearing locations, and web patterns. In most cases, especially those involving wind load combinations, uplift reactions are relatively small and can easily be resolved through the...

#17308 Cover image
March 2025
Issue #17308
Page 153
Edmond Lim, P.Eng.

Joint Detailing for Accurate Plate Placement

Edmond Lim, P.Eng.

Good joint detailing at the design stage can help truss builders accurately position truss plates, including the back plate which is essentially positioned “blindly.” Laser projection is excellent for positioning the top face plate, however, it is subject to the same limitations for...

#17307 Cover image
February 2025
Issue #17307
Page 48
MiTek Staff

Using the Roof Live Load Reduction

MiTek Staff

Consider a roof with a live load of 20 psf (pounds per square foot). This load is intended to account for construction loading (workers, materials, and equipment placed on the roof during construction or maintenance). If the roof has a large surface area, like a post-frame building, is it really...

#17306 Cover image
January 2025
Issue #17306
Page 112
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