A splice is the point where two chord members are joined together by a metal connector plate to form a single member. It can occur at a panel point or between panel points depending on the specific design of the truss and the preferences of the truss manufacturer.
While the program checks all the connections properly, it must always be remembered that MiTek Engineering software is just that, a tool. Designs should always be reviewed before putting into production, some designs may not be structurally viable and should be avoided or reviewed by an engineer. The following is a list of some of the most common problems of floor truss splicing MiTek engineers see when reviewing customer truss submittals.
Floor trusses that are designed with stacked chord members must be given special attention to the location of splice plating. When you have stacked chords, you will want to stagger the splices at least a foot apart. This will insure there is ample room for all connector plates and they are not stacked on top of one another. The main advantage to having splice plates staggered at least a foot apart is due to the fact if they are placed in the same location you will end up with a small gap where the plates are touching which is not ideal for the overall truss performance. [For all diagrams, See PDF or View in Full Issue.]
Splicing in the chase is only allowed if there are stacked chord members in the chase area and only one spliced joint is permissible. Floor trusses designed with single top and bottom chords shall not have spliced joints in the chase area.
Do not splice in end panel of top chord when truss is top chord bearing.
It is also recommended to keep from having multiple splices in the same truss panel and to avoid placing splices above each other in top and bottom chords.
For additional information, or if you have questions, please contact the MiTek Engineering department.