Design

Installation & Fastening of Wood Structural Panel Wall Bracing

Use of galvanized box nails may result in shear walls with a shear capacity significantly below the nominal unit shear capacities given in SDPWS.
Thus, the majority of WSP shear walls have a shear capacity with a high degree of design value variability. This may have unintended consequences that are unknown and unappreciated by the professional engineering and/or building design community.
Once SBCA and SBCRI were certain their testing and engineering analysis was consistent and repeatable, they were persistent in bringing all WSP shear wall performance issues to the attention of APA, AWC, ICC-ES and ICC.

The Hidden Costs of Optimization, Part II

Understanding how the computer software automatically loads a truss can help designers avoid unintended consequences when optimizing trusses.
When fascia loads are missing from a project, there is incorrect loading on the jack trusses, sub girders and the corner girder/hip jack.
Missing loads can lead to extensive repairs and may even require that the trusses be revised.

Truss Designers: The Marines of QC

Beyond spotting their own errors and minimizing headaches and guesswork for your production line, truss designers also have the ability to make or break your company through the quality of their designs.

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know, Part III

Innovation brings change that builds vigor and excitement in an organization or industry.
We should challenge ourselves to look for ways to innovate and foster the discomfort of change.
I am a proud supporter of the innovation revolution taking place within the SBC industry, and I invite you to join me as an advocate for change.

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know, Part II

When the IRC provides a solution that cannot be supported by testing of real buildings in a code-compliant application of braced walls, more accurate and technically correct engineered solutions will never be able to compete.
There is some resistance in the market to establishing standard factors for product equivalency or system performance because it may result in non-wood products graining an advantage over traditional OSB market share.
A top testing priority for SBCA is “Framing the American Dream III,” which seeks to test a typical stick framed roof and compare its performance to an identical engineered truss roof.

Advanced Framing

Combining fiber reinforcement with finger jointed lumber could be a win for both the lumber and component industries.
With in-line framing, CMs can remove studs and plate material, and spread the stud spacing out to 24", which, in some cases, allows for better insulation methods.
The key to new product development is generating sales revenue immediately by establishing design values and engineering reports that give assurance of the product’s equivalent code-compliant performance.

Wind Load Analysis: MWFRS vs. C&C

Based on the recommendations of the IRC, IBC and ASCE 7, truss or rafter uplift connections should be designed for applied wind loads using MWFRS analysis.
Individual truss and rafter members should be designed using C&C generated wind loads.
The SBCA Load Guide includes information about uplift connections for structural building components.

Readers Respond - Bearing Area

Two engineers involved in the design of structural building components respond to a previous Technical Q&A on bearing area.
Both give their perspective on bearing area and ways that component manufacturers and truss designers can help engineers with this issue.
Each engineer discusses his preferred method for dealing with insufficient bearing area.

Structural Building Components Magazine

Structural Building Components Research Institute

Structural Building Components Jobsite Packages

Building Component Manufacturer Conference