A
Th e
Component Manufacturing dverti$er
Adverti$er
Don’t Forget! You Saw it in the
February 2017 #10211 Page #70
Snow Loading for Trusses: Why Specifying a Roof Snow Load Isn’t Enough By Kelly Sias, PE, Simpson Strong-Tie®
You might wonder what a quote about winning basketball games could possibly have to do with snow loading on trusses. As with basketball, the importance of close teamwork also applies to a project involving metal-plate-connected wood trusses – for the best outcome, the whole team needs to be on the same page. For purposes of this article, the team includes the Building Designer, the Truss Designer and the Building Official, and the desired outcome is not a win per se, but rather properly loaded trusses. Snow loading on trusses is one area where things may not always go according to the game plan when everyone isn’t in accord. This article will explain how to avoid some common miscommunications about truss loading.
Which snow load are you specifying?
Like all other design loads that apply to trusses, snow loads are determined by the Building Designer and must be specified in the construction documents for use in the design of the building and the roof trusses. But sometimes the loads that are specified don’t provide enough information to ensure that the design will be correct for the specific circumstances. In the case of designs for snow loads, there needs to be a common understanding among all parties regarding the following:
Which snow load value is to be used as the uniform design load for the snow – a ground snow or a factored ground snow?
If it is a factored snow load, then how is the ground snow to be factored?
What other conditions need to be considered besides uniform load?
PHONE: 800-289-5627
Read/Subscribe online at www.componentadvertiser.com
FAX: 800-524-4982