As one of the top 10 private homebuilders in the US (and one of the top 25 overall), Gehan Homes has explored its fair share of technologies promising efficiency and productivity gains. When it came to pulling home designs, plans, elevations, and options into full job start packets (JSPs), the Texas-based homebuilder managed to generate about 400 JSPs per year before the productivity cost of eight hours each began to limit growth.
Author: Simpson Strong-Tie
Yield-Link® Moment Connections in the Great White North
Resiliency is a term which is becoming more commonplace within the field of structural engineering, not just in North America but worldwide. As part of a nation that prides itself on being progressive, engineers in seismic zones of Canada are already exploring innovative solutions that may help create economic structures with resiliency in mind. But what do we mean by resiliency?
In the fields of engineering and construction, resiliency is the ability of a structure to absorb or avoid damage without suffering complete failure. Structural resiliency is the ability of a building or structure to remain sufficiently sound and intact following a shock event as to allow rapid resumption of normal use.
Introducing Excellence in Engineering Fellow: Juan Carlos Restrepo
We’re excited to introduce the recipient of the 2018–2019 Excellence in Engineering Fellowship: Juan Carlos Restrepo.
This is the second year of the fellowship, a successful partnership between Build Change, a Denver-based international nonprofit social enterprise, and Simpson Strong-Tie, a global leader in innovative structural solutions.
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Happy Independence Day 2018
Thank you for stopping by! We’re taking a brief break today so Simpson Strong-Tie team members can celebrate the Fourth of July with family and friends.
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Anchor Reinforcement for Concrete Podium Slabs
How often do you get the opportunity to high five a co-worker in the office? Maybe it’s when you just worked through a complex calculation, or finally figured out that tough detail. Whatever it might be, there are times when we should raise a hand and celebrate the hard work that we do. So when we recently relaunched the Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Rod™ Systems website, which includes a link to our new Shallow Podium Anchorage Solutions, there were a few high fives going around the office. With that in mind, we want to share the latest developments and continue our anchorage-to-concrete blog discussions that began in May 2012, continued with a March 2014 post referencing the Structure magazine article on anchor testing, and more recently one discussing our release of anchor reinforcement solutions for Steel Strong-Wall® shearwall to grade beams.
NOVA airs episode featuring Strong Frame® Special Moment Frame Testing for NEES-Soft
NOVA, the highest rated science series on television, recently aired a segment on the Colorado State University-led NEES-Soft project that tested Simpson Strong-Tie® Strong Frame® special moment frames as a seismic retrofit solution for soft-story buildings. Simpson Strong-Tie and our special moment frame were prominently featured in the clip. You can watch the entire “Making Stuff Safer” episode on PBS here.
Congratulations to our Structural Engineering Blog One-Year Anniversary Winners!
Remember to Enter To Win by Tuesday, 4/30
Remember to enter to win the Structural Engineering Blog one-year anniversary contest by Tuesday, April 30! April 2013 marks the one-year anniversary of the Simpson Strong-Tie® Structural Engineering Blog. To celebrate, we are holding a contest for our blog readers.
Everyone who posts a comment or subscribes to receive email notifications to the blog (new subscribers only) from now until April 30, 2013 will be entered to win one of five Prize Packs. The Prize Pack consists of:
- The opportunity to provide the subject for a future blog post
- A Simpson Strong-Tie thermal travel mug
- Your choice between a $25 Starbucks gift card OR a hard cover copy of: “Engineers: From the Great Pyramids To the Pioneers of Space Travel”, by DK Publishing
The contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents (except Quebec) only. One entry per person. Five entries will be randomly selected to receive a Prize Pack. You can read the Official Rules here.
Good luck!
Structural Engineering Blog: One-Year Anniversary

This month marks the one-year anniversary of the Simpson Strong-Tie® Structural Engineering Blog! To celebrate, we are holding a contest for our blog readers and sharing a few interesting statistics about the blog, along with our Top 5 Blog Posts from April 2012 to today.
Everyone who posts a comment or subscribes to receive email notifications to the blog (new subscribers only) from now until April 30, 2013 will be entered to win one of five Prize Packs. The Prize Pack consists of:
- The opportunity to provide the subject for a future blog post
- A Simpson Strong-Tie thermal travel mug
- Your choice between a $25 Starbucks gift card OR a hard cover copy of: “Engineers: From the Great Pyramids To the Pioneers of Space Travel”, by DK Publishing
The contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents (except Quebec) only. One entry per person. Five entries will be randomly selected to receive a Prize Pack. You can read the Official Rules here.
Congratulations to the "Creative Use of Our Product" Contest Winners!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our “Creative Use of Our Product” contest! This was our most popular post yet. Based on comments received, the Top 5 photos were:
1. Engineered Desk
2. Statue of David
3. Top Flange Spoiler Bracket
4. & 5. (Tie): Truss Coffee Table and HD Trailer Hitch Adapter
The winners of the Simpson Strong-Tie Prize Pack, chosen randomly among all comments on the post are:
1. Kimberly T., Brea, CA
2. Natalie D., Pleasanton, CA
3. Zoran P., Vaughan ON
4. Evan L., Pullman, WA
5. Mary P., Franklin, WI
Congratulations to the winners.
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