Simpson Strong-Tie is participating in NHERI Converging Design, the third phase of testing a six-story mass timber building on the NHERI UCSD shake table. This project follows up on the testing of a ten-story mass timber building with the NHERI TallWood project. Our Yield-Link® moment connection and Yield-Link brace connection underwent testing as potential alternatives to post-tensioned rocking wall systems, aiming to decrease the potential for residual drift. Learn more about this project and our live testing event.
Jennifer Price from Simpson Strong-Tie heads the National Webinar Program within the Training Department. During her 32-year tenure at Simpson, she has worked in various roles spanning Marketing, IT, Compliance, and, most recently, on the SAP Implementation project. Originally hailing from South Africa, she has made California her home since joining the company and resides in the charming town of Lafayette. Jennifer recently had her home retrofitted to withstand seismic earthquakes. Discover insights from a homeowner's viewpoint on the process, expenses and advantages of seismic retrofitting.
On the third Thursday of every October, organizations and companies worldwide participate in earthquake drills and other preparedness activities. These activities are part of the Great ShakeOut, an annual event founded after the Loma Prieta Earthquake on October 17, 1989.
As a lead industry supporter and research partner of the National Science Foundation-funded NHERI TallWood test, Simpson Strong-Tie is proud to participate in this groundbreaking initiative to investigate the resilience of tall timber buildings in earthquake-prone regions.
In our first blog post in this series, we identified why older homes are more vulnerable than newer homes to earthquake damage. We described what retrofitting is and how it strengthens your home’s structure. And lastly, we posed five questions you should ask yourself when deciding if your home needs retrofitting.
When you live in earthquake country, you know it’s not “if” there will be a big quake, it’s “when.” You may have an earthquake emergency kit ready, but there are also steps you can take now to strengthen your home to make it more resistant to earthquake damage. And if you live in California, there’s a program called the Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) that provides up to $3,000 for seismic retrofit grants to homeowners residing in more than 150 California zip codes. If you’ve checked it before and your zip code wasn’t listed, be sure to check it again
Each year, an earthquake preparedness event known as the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill takes place around the world. The coordinated earthquake drill provides an opportunity for schools, businesses, homeowners and others to practice what to do once the ground starts shaking or swaying.
Situated on the northwest coast of Oregon, the resort town of Seaside — population 6,685 — seems an unlikely place for advanced seismic and tsunami simulations. But just offshore Seaside’s charming 1920s boardwalk and its broad, sandy beaches famed for razor clamming, the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate is slowly sliding underneath the behemoth North American plate.
On a Sunday morning in late August 2014, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake surprised Napa, California residents and caused structural damage to many homes and businesses in the area. One of the most powerful earthquakes in Napa's history, local news outlet KQED reported $300 million in damage to homes and commercial properties.
Whether you’re buying a new home or planning to stay in your current home for years to come, it’s important to make sure the building you live in is structurally sound. The following earthquake checklist will help you determine whether your house is properly connected and reinforced to withstand an earthquake.
You might not think you live in earthquake country, but at least 42 states are considered at moderate to very high risk earthquake zones. As you evaluate your home’s ability to withstand an earthquake and prepare for a seismic retrofit, knowing these simple steps will help ensure that your home is structurally sound and earthquake resistant.
