Testing Wood Truss Strength
Question:
We are building churches in Europe. These are modified pole barns and we are trying to use local materials and local volunteer labor. Since the truss is the heart of the building, I am looking for a method to test some completed trusses before the building is started to make sure they are strong enough.
Answer:
Testing completed trusses to see if they can support their design load is called proof loading. Appendix B of the Truss Plate Institute's ANSI/TPI 1 contains Proof Load Test for Site-Selected Trusses. This standard should be able to address your questions.