According to the National Weather Service, 2011 ranked right up there as one of the worst years on record for tornadoes, having set records for the earliest date of the first tornado, the most states reporting tornadoes, the greatest monthly total, the greatest daily total, and the highest estimated property and crop losses. (Take a … Continue reading “Building a Storm Shelter to ICC-500 Design Requirements”
One interesting part of being a field engineer for Simpson Strong-Tie is having the opportunity to see how different structural engineers may take different approaches to similar designs. We at Simpson Strong-Tie have come to appreciate these different approaches and embrace this phenomenon by providing multiple resources to aid in the completion of a design. … Continue reading “Allowable Load Tables at Your Service — A Look at the Technical Engineering Bulletin (TEB) for Anchors”
Curved façades can help create architecturally appealing steel structures and may even reduce the effects of wind loading. However, careful coordination is needed between engineers, contractors and glaziers when locating façade attachments. Providing adequate tolerances and avoiding field fixes can prove to be more challenging for curved façades than for conventional rectangular ones.
Dan hit the nail right on the head . . . at Simpson Strong-Tie, Risk-Taking Innovation is central to our mission of helping people design and build safer, stronger structures. We’ve devoted a tremendous amount of effort and resources to thoughtfully cultivating a culture of innovation. And as Engineers, we’ve been armed with quite a … Continue reading “Innovating from the Ground Up: Welcome to the Future!”
Rachel Holland, a Simpson Strong-Tie engineer, reflects on the profound impact of the Northridge earthquake in Southern California on January 17, 1994. Living just 8 miles from the epicenter, the earthquake shaped her perspective on natural disasters and inspired her journey into engineering. In an interview, she shares her vivid memories of the chaos, destruction, … Continue reading “30 Years After Northridge: Lessons, Progress, and Community Resilience”
The Simpson Strong-Tie Strong-Wall® shearwall was introduced in 1999. The 1997 Uniform Building Code had incorporated restrictive 2:1 aspect ratio requirements for wood structural panel (WSP) shearwalls in high seismic areas. We conducted extensive cyclic testing of complete wall systems (not just components) to prove that narrow Strong-Wall shearwalls achieved the high performance required for … Continue reading “Tenth Day of Trivia — Shearwalls”
I recently wrote about the H1A hurricane tie in this post, which discussed the original H1 hurricane tie first appearing in 1972, and the subsequent changes over the years that led to our current H1A. The original H1 along with the H2 and the H3 were the first products to appear under the label “hurricane … Continue reading “Second Day of Trivia – Hurricane Ties”
As civil and structural engineers, we know all too well that what is on the plans doesn’t always translate exactly as intended in the field. Part of what keeps our jobs interesting is having to solve problems that arise with “as built” conditions that are not always easy to change. It can feel like a … Continue reading “Solving the Puzzles Presented by “As Built” Conditions”
Daphne Milkert, a senior at Milwaukee School of Engineering is a recipient of the 2023 Simpson Strong-Tie Scholarship. During her scholarship trip to the Bay Area, she engaged in activities like visiting Pier 39, exploring the Tyrell Gilb Research Lab, and participated in a hands-on tradeshow showcased the versatility of Simpson Strong-Tie products. Discover her … Continue reading “My Adventure Visiting Simpson Strong-Tie As a Student Scholarship Recipient”
The Yield-Link brace connection (YLBC) from Simpson Strong-Tie is an innovative solution for isolating damage to ensure that braced frames within structural steel buildings remain intact during a seismic or wind event. With predesigned, bolted connections, the YLBC simplifies design work, eliminates the need for field welding, and is easy to incorporate into new builds … Continue reading “Learn How to Strengthen Your Structural Steel Designs with the Yield-Link® Brace Connection Webinar Series”
