In last month’s article, Designing for Resiliency, I present some of my thoughts on how changing the design approach for wood trusses could aid in making future homes more resilient to the types of climate extremes that seem to be ahead of us. Whether you think that climate change is a...

Q & A with Steve Pryor, P.E., S.E., Senior Manager, Testing and Research Operations, Engineering, Simpson Strong-Tie As a research partner in the National Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) TallWood project, Simpson Strong-Tie participated in a series of earthquake shake...

Sponsored by the Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education program, a three-day program on light-frame and mass timber construction design topics will be offered on May 14–16, 2024 in Blacksburg, VA. Joining me as instructors this year are Scott D. Coffman, PE, John Holland, MBA,...

As I write this, I am sitting inside a warm office in Northern Ontario, looking out the window at near blizzard conditions, with heavy snow falling and –35° wind chill. Although it is very unpleasant outside, this isn’t necessarily unusual weather for this location, but what is...

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...

Applying special load conditions to trusses is a tedious, repetitive, and time-consuming task for designers. Without a visual representation of the load in relation to the trusses on a plan, it can be a challenge to position the loads and determine the load magnitudes required for each truss. As...

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...

In “Cost-Saving Measures and Memorable Debacles,” I discussed the problems encountered on a site where the owner was acting as general contractor for his new house build and problems that ensued when an inexperienced framer was tasked with installing a complex truss roof. In that...

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...

Building intricate floor truss details may bedevil a robot, but they provide the inherent advantage of floor trusses over I-joists. There are also things that floor trusses can do that I-joists cannot. And they facilitate the most efficient use of materials. Visiting an I-joist cut-off yard...