Shaking Up Architecture: Putting Mass Timber Construction to the Seismic Test

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.

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New Yield-Link® Brace Connection Adds Resiliency to Structural Steel

Simpson Strong-Tie has added yet another design innovation to a growing suite of products and solutions for structural steel construction. Introducing the Yield-Link® brace connection (YLBC). 

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Three Critical Steps to Seismic Retrofit a Home

In our first blog post in this serieswe 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.  

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Great ShakeOut 2020: Reddit Asks Us Anything About Earthquakes

Each year, Simpson Strong-Tie teams up with the West Coast’s top earthquake scientists and preparedness experts to take questions from Redditors about earthquakes and tsunamis. The Reddit AMA is part of the GreaShakeOut, the world’s largest earthquake drill, where 55 million people drop, cover and hold on. The next Great ShakeOut is scheduled to take place at 10:17 a.m. on October 15, 2020. 

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Protecting Homes Against Earthquakes — a New Blog Series

October is Earthquake Preparedness Month, and October 15 is the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill. In this blog series, we thought we’d share some steps homeowners can take to help minimize the risk of damage from earthquakes. Depending on your location, you may find further information and resources at the end of each blog post, with links to local cities that participate in resiliency plans for homeowners and contractors. 

If an earthquake were to strike at this very moment, are you confident your home is adequately constructed to withstand its forces? Continue reading “Protecting Homes Against Earthquakes — a New Blog Series”

From Our CEO: Prioritizing Resilience in Design and Construction

In September of last year, Simpson Strong-Tie hosted our first Strong Partners Seismic Symposium in Southern California. We were pleased to feature several top speakers, including seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones, discussing the importance of making our communities more resilient.

Resilience has become a hot topic in the past several years as we continue to experience more frequent and more powerful natural disasters that devastate communities. We’ve seen numerous distressing examples of what happens when people are left without structures in which to live, learn, work and shop.

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Protecting Homes Against Earthquakes With Seismic Retrofitting

If an earthquake were to strike at this very moment, are you confident your home is adequately constructed to withstand it? Depending on where you live, how your house is built—and the year in which it was originally constructed—an earthquake could have a devastating impact on your physical and financial health.

We’ve all witnessed the catastrophic impact that large earthquakes can have on society recently, and our hearts go out to those affected in Mexico who are picking up the pieces. Since October is Earthquake Preparedness Month and October 19 is the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill, we thought we’d share some steps homeowners and building owners can take to help minimize the risk of damage.

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5 Tips for Homeowners Living in Earthquake Zones

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.

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Should I Seismic Retrofit My Home?

Certain types of homes are more likely to need a seismic retrofit than others. If you answer yes to any of these questions, you should consider retrofitting your home.

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