Steel Vs Wood Truss Bracing
Question:
As a forensic engineer who has investigated numerous collapses of wood truss systems, I find your web site an excellent resource on the proper erection of wood trusses. What are your opinions on steel trusses, particularly with regards to installation and bracing? Do you feel that the installation and bracing techniques utilized for wood trusses are applicable to steel trusses? Do you know if that is the general industry standard or are there specific requirements and guidelines for steel trusses? Is there a particular guideline/commentary available for metal trusses?
Answer:
The principles of installation are the same with steel as with wood, but the connections are very different. Information on steel trusses is available from the Cold-Formed Steel Council (CFSC). CFSC offers building component safety information in CFSBCSI, which parallels the wood truss version.