Choosing Resiliency: Lessons from Hurricane Michael Doug Allen Doug Allen, P.E., a structural engineer with Simpson Strong-Tie, looks at the choice homeowners in disaster-prone areas face between simply building to code and building to standards of resilience or IBHS FORTIFIED Home™ standards instead. Resilience, or resiliency: The capacity to... Read More April 2019 Issue #11237 Page 90
Question of the Day: Gable End Frame Connections and Bracing Stan Sias I was asked recently why Component Manufacturers (CMs) do not provide the bracing details and holdowns for gable end frames like they do for the common trusses. The question got me thinking because the details are readily available, as are any mechanical connectors that might be needed to... Read More March 2019 Issue #11236 Page 60
Code Report: Understanding Allowable Load Changes Paul McEntee The Simpson Strong-Tie® 2019–2020 Wood Construction Connectors catalog is the first in the industry with updated connector allowable load tables to meet the new ASTM test standards required by the 2015 and 2018 International Building Code® (IBC®). It is designed to... Read More March 2019 Issue #11236 Page 90
What is the Most Common Fabrication Issue That Impacts a Truss? Glenn Traylor The most common problem typically encountered is excessive defects in the plated area of the truss. While some defects are acceptable in the plated area, the degree of defects depends on the actual joint situation and forces at the joint. Connector sizes are controlled by design, handling,... Read More August 2018 Issue #10229 Page 32
Questions Answered: Resisting Uplift with Structural Fasteners Bryan Wert Of course you know about creating a continuous load path with either connectors or rod tiedown systems, but have you considered using fasteners instead? In this article, Bryan Wert follows up on our May 2 webinar, Drive a New Path: Resisting Uplift with Structural Fasteners, by answering some of... Read More July 2018 Issue #10228 Page 96
How to Safely Select Nail Substitutions for Connectors Paul McEntee A few days ago, I was speaking to a customer about an application using alternate fasteners for a joist hanger installation. Her questions come up often, so I thought I would dedicate a post to some of the resources available that cover the use of different nails in connectors. Designers and... Read More June 2018 Issue #10227 Page 102
Holdown Anchorage Solutions Paul McEntee A couple years ago, I did a post on selecting holdown anchorage solutions. At the time, we had created a couple engineering letters that tabulated SSTB, SB and PAB anchor solutions for each holdown to simplify specifying anchor bolts. About a year later, a salesperson suggested we tabulate SSTB,... Read More March 2018 Issue #10224 Page 94
What You Should Know About the New DGH Fire Wall Hanger Options Paul McEntee Does everyone do year-end performance reviews to discuss how you did on your project objectives and professional development goals? I love meeting with my team to recap all their amazing accomplishments for the past year, discussing long-term career plans and figuring out the steps we will take... Read More February 2018 Issue #10223 Page 96
Truss-to-Truss and Truss-to-Everything Else Connections Kelly Sias One of the questions I am asked most frequently is “Who is responsible for the truss-to-(fill in the blank) connection? One such example is the truss-to-wall connection. To answer this question, it helps to recognize there are two types of connections: a truss-to-truss connection and a... Read More December 2017 Issue #10221 Page 90
What You Need to Know About Differences in Wind-Speed Reporting for Hurricanes Darren Conrad With Hurricane Irma wrapping up, the cleanup after Hurricane Harvey’s devastation underway in Houston and more big storms already churning in the Atlantic, it seems like a good time to discuss hurricanes and high wind. There is a great deal of good information out there to help us better... Read More October 2017 Issue #10219 Page 92