FRP Witness Panel Preparation and Testing – Lessons Learned and Best Practices

As a Composite Strengthening Systems™ Field Engineer at Simpson Strong-Tie, I’ve supported many composite strengthening projects from design through construction and had hands-on experience troubleshooting issues with FRP witness panels. Through these experiences, I’ve learned a few lessons and developed some best practices worth sharing with anyone in the engineering and construction communities who may encounter similar issues.

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Building an Outdoor Table with Mass Timber

Ryan Edwards eats, sleeps, drinks, and builds with mass timber. Inspired by his work with mass timber, he decided to DIY an outdoor table made from the same material he works with every day. Also, learn what mass timber is all about!  

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Adjustable Hanger or Custom Hanger — You Make the Call

It would be a lot simpler for designing engineers if structural connections were always for members at right angles to one another. Often, connections have to be designed for supported members that are at a skewed or sloped angle rather than perpendicular to the header. In these cases, the engineer will have to choose between a premanufactured adjustable hanger and a custom hanger. Simpson Strong-Tie offers both options, and in the following post, Randy Shackelford, P.E., discusses the various considerations that may affect a specifier’s choice.

It makes things easy for an engineer when the building being designed is rectangular. This allows you to make the connections between nice perpendicular members, and standard connectors and joist hangers are easy to specify.

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