Library

Over the last couple of articles, I’ve spent some time discussing improvements that would improve both the energy efficiency and the ability of the truss system to withstand extreme weather conditions. If you’ve read those articles, you will know that I think it is ridiculous that we...

Establishing a truss design process that progresses seamlessly from start to finish serves as a critical backbone for efficiency and ensures essential quality control measures. While individual processes might vary from designer to designer, here is a sample step-by-step process. Resist the...

An attic truss with 7 feet room height – should it be designed for 20 psf (pounds per square foot), 30 psf, or 40 psf room live load? Per International Residential Code (IRC) Table R301.5, the minimum uniformly distributed live load for uninhabitable attics with limited storage is 20...

At Simpson Strong-Tie, Risk-Taking Innovation is central to our mission of helping people design and build safer, stronger structures. We’ve devoted a tremendous amount of effort and resources to thoughtfully cultivating a culture of innovation. And as Engineers, we’ve been armed...

When a ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, MD, its fate was never in doubt. But that was not the case when a barge hit the Eads Bridge near St. Louis, MO, another steel arched truss bridge. The Key Bridge lost one of its main supports, while the Eads Bridge lost one of its truss...

In last month’s Showing Appreciation with Candy and Corned Beef, I remind everyone how easy it can be to build camaraderie and team spirit at your business with a little effort and a little food. As a perfect follow-up to that, I have a little story to share as a reminder that kindness and...

Driven by the dire shortage of housing entering the 1950s, Levittown sparked a fervor for homes to be built like cars on assembly lines. Fortunately, there was a crop of returning veterans ready to oblige, whether by building whole houses or just parts of houses. William Levett delved into...

Over the last few weeks and into the next few months, we’re busy outfitting a new Truss, Frame, and Floor Manufacturing site with Spida machinery. All of our installations with customers are something special, and they are all unique with their own set of requirements to make the install...

Each generation has to learn all the life lessons either through their own mistakes or the counseling of the older generation. The vast majority of us wish not to repeat the same mistakes and, if possible, avoid them altogether. If you wish to avoid embarrassment, whether you are new to being an...

The photo shows a 2 x 4 truss with an ANSI/TPI 1 non-compliance issue. This is something that never should have happened! Can you spot the problem? [For photo, See PDF or View in Full Issue.] If you shouted, “a missing connector,” then give yourself a gold star! As I was ranking...