Question of the Day: Bottom Chords and Gable End Frames Stan Sias Why do some still insist on placing flat bottom chord gable end frames adjacent to vaulted or scissor trusses when the codes clearly do not allow such framing without special engineering requirements? Can you point me to the code sections that say “No, thank you!”? This is a... Read More January 2017 Issue #10210 Page 34
A Tale of Two Houses: Design Loads for Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses Kelly Sias Take two trusses with identical profiles and environmental surroundings, and they should have the same design loads, right? Early in my career, I recall hearing a story about two identical buildings right next to each other that were designed for two different magnitudes of environmental loads.... Read More January 2017 Issue #10210 Page 72
Fire Safety for the Holiday Season and Year ‘Round Robert Glowinski The winter season is upon us, and families across the country are decorating their homes for holiday festivities. Unfortunately, this time of year is also marked by an increase in fires – with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reporting the highest occurrence of candle and... Read More December 2016 Issue #09209 Page 53
How to Pick a Connector Series – Truss Hangers Kelly Sias In another article in the “How to Pick a Connector Series,” Randy Shackelford discussed the various considerations involved in selecting a joist hanger. So why is this article about truss hangers? A hanger is a hanger, right? Before I moved into the Engineering Department at Simpson... Read More December 2016 Issue #09209 Page 68
Question of the Day: Scope of Work and Responsibility Stan Sias “As a CM, how do I best convey my intended and assumed scope of work and overall responsibility to all parties involved in the construction of a project I am bidding? I don’t want to be held responsible for something I haven’t bid.” This is a terrific question and... Read More November 2016 Issue #09208 Page 4
Designing Overhangs on Gable Ends Randy Shackelford It seems that each major hurricane tends to teach those of us in the construction industry some lesson. With Hurricane Andrew, the lessons were the importance of protection from windborne debris, and the importance of proper construction of gable ends. There are two main areas where gable... Read More November 2016 Issue #09208 Page 64
Letter to the Editor: On IBC bracing requirements Frank Woeste Dear Anna: A recent long span truss collapse during installation reminded me of the new 2009 (and later) IBC bracing requirements for the Owner of a project with metal plate connected (MPC) wood trusses spanning 60 ft. and greater (churches, schools, commercial, retail, and so on).... Read More November 2016 Issue #09208 Page 74
Question of the Day: Code Change Proposals on Wood Trusses Stan Sias Why are we seeing all the code change proposals regarding wood trusses in the current ICC code change/update process? It is true that there were several proposals submitted pertaining to wood truss restraint and bracing and another requiring special inspection of the installed truss... Read More October 2016 Issue #09207 Page 4
How to Pick a Connector Series – Selecting Fasteners Aram Khachadourian, P.E. The parts won’t hold themselves up. They have to be fastened in place. In a previous entry in this series, Randy Shackelford, PE addressed selecting a joist hanger. This article focuses on the fasteners recommended for various wood connectors. For straps, holdowns, and other... Read More October 2016 Issue #09207 Page 68
Hiring Truss Designers? Maybe this will help! In a recent JobLine – Survey Monkey poll, we identified the top priorities that Truss Design candidates have when considering your opportunity. In the past, it took a 20–25% compensation increase to successfully recruit them, but post-crash, salaries have stagnated and employers are... Read More October 2016 Issue #09207 Page 74