Overview of the Strength-Based Cracked and Uncracked Masonry Design Standards for Adhesive Anchors

We’re entering the year 2024 — welcome to the world of cracked and uncracked masonry. The last time Simpson Strong-Tie wrote a blog post regarding design criteria for post-installed anchors in masonry was in 2019, and ICC-ES was considering the adoption of a revised version of AC58, the Acceptance Criteria for Adhesive Anchors in Cracked and Uncracked Masonry Elements. Acceptance Criteria, or ACs, outline the testing that a manufacturer must comply with in order to get an evaluation report. In some cases, the ACs contain calculations methods if they are otherwise unavailable. If you missed the previous blog post, here is a link so you can explore a bit of the history that has led us to where we are today.

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Common Engineering Technical Inquiries — Part I: Anchors

Over the next few months, I will be doing a short three-part series going over common technical inquiries we receive in the engineering department. There is a wealth of information available on our website and in our literature, but so much content can sometimes be difficult to navigate. It is often said that knowledge is power, so my hope is to empower you with all the technical support you need so you can complete your job quickly and efficiently.  

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Dry, Soaked, or Submerged Concrete — SET-3G Adhesive Allows Anchoring in Any Condition

Modern construction schedules and conditions create a demand for solutions that can perform in a wide variety of environmentsIn the following post, Field Engineer Chris Johnson provides a rundown of different concrete and hole conditions for adhesive anchoring, the related design factors, and proper installation instructions and approved adhesive products for submerged anchorage.   

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Simpson Strong-Tie in Latin America: Our 2022 Chile Seminar

Our Director of International Sales in Latin America, Cyndi Chandler, organized our annual sales seminar in Chile. This was a great opportunity to connect with our engineers and specifiers in Latin America and educate them about the various products and resources we offer. Learn more about this dynamic two-day seminar and the products we demonstrated in Chile.

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Project Snapshot Series Part 1: Historic Theatre Retrofit Using FRP

Structural renovation work continues on a historic, 1920s-era building in Hollywood, California. This major renovation will improve the structural performance of the building and help ensure that theatregoers and other occupants are safe in the event of a major earthquake.  

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Mechanical Anchors: Screw vs. Expansion: — Which Is Right for Me? 

Not all post-installed mechanical anchors are created equal. There are key differences between screw and expansion anchor types — differences that include how they gain their holding strength, installation requirements, and overall anchor performance. In the following post, field engineers Todd Hamilton, Chris Johnson and Derek Gilbert compare the two anchor types. 

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Building Connections at Washington State University

In 2021 SImpson Strong-Tie hosted a “Building Connections” symposium at Washington State University. The well-attended event provided our team the opportunity to teach WSU engineering students about the construction industry, common construction methods, our products and our company. Ryan Edwards, Simpson Strong-Tie Senior Business Specialist for Mass Timber and Offsite Construction, co-hosted the symposium and in this blog post reflects on the experience.

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Providing Performance Data for Shallowly Embedded Anchors

In the last few years, Simpson Strong-Tie has heard from a number of structural engineers expressing frustration with the lack of performance data for shallowly embedded, post-installed anchors (shallow anchors). Engineers of Record (EOR) have identified a common application for shallow anchors as those related to attachment of sill plates for structural and nonstructural wall-to-podium slab connections. One dilemma faced by the EORs originates in their desire to prevent damage to concrete podium slab reinforcement, especially where reinforcement is located close to the slab’s top surface to resist negative bending moments. EORs further indicate that shallow anchors are frequently needed for the following attachments: hanging MEP fixtures; attaching nonstructural components associated with tenant improvements; and anchoring light equipment.

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How Heat Treating Helps Concrete Anchoring Products Meet Tougher Load Demands

There’s a saying in Chicago, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait fifteen minutes.” That’s especially true in the spring, when temperatures can easily vary by over 50° from one day to the next. As the temperature plunges into the blustery 30s one evening following a sunny high in the 80s, I throw my jacket on over my T-shirt, and I’m reminded that large swings in temperature tend to bring about changes in behavior as well. This isn’t true just with people, but with many materials as well, and it brings to mind a thermal process called heat treating. This is a process that is used on some concrete anchoring products in order to make them stronger and more durable. You may have heard of this process without fully understanding what it is or why it’s useful. In this post, I will try to scratch the surface of the topic with a very basic overview of how heat treating is used to improve the performance of concrete anchors.Continue Reading

Part II: Tensile Performance of Simpson Strong-Tie® SET-XP® Adhesive in Reinforced Brick – Test Results

This post is the second of a two-part series on the results of research on anchorage in reinforced brick. The research was done to shed light on what tensile values can be expected for adhesive anchors. In last week’s post, we covered the test set-up. This week, we’re taking a look at our results and findings.Continue Reading