truss extension

Did an inspection on a new home that is nearing completion. Above the attic it appears that the truss has been extended. I am certain that this is wrong. But I wanted to check first before I call it out and also what is the code violation (if anyone knows it)

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James… Hard to tell from the pictures. Looks like a steep roof pitch. Is that what makes you think they were extended? Do you have any other pics with a wider angle?

Chris

Here are some larger images. the members were butted up against each other and fastened in the manner shown. The roof was not steeply sloped.

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Looks like a metal gusset plate on an engineered truss…this is what I see all the time.

Was this condition consistant throughout the attic?
How long was the run of the top cord?
Just curious…

I think James is asking for the same reason i am.

I’ve never heard of pre-engineered trusses being built this way.

I would have thought the rafters would all be 1 piece.

Have these trusses been modified?

If so, it’s wrong, unless a SE says different.

A gusset plate right in the middle of the rafter span just doesn’t seem right.

It doesn’t appear to be a problem. I see, and have seen, trusses engineered like that for years. Those plates are stronger than they appear. :wink:

good to know if i ever come across this.

thanks Larry

That sure doesn’t look right to me. I think you can only place a gusset in the middle of a span between joints when the member is in tension and there is no continuous load (like a roof load) on the member. I see bottom chords gussetted like this all the time, but not the top chords. the gussets are strong, but they are not meant for bending loads, just tension and compression loads. I want to hear what our structural engineers have to say.

Looks normal to me. I see this all the time. Actually I was engineer of record for a truss company. The location of the plates has more to do with the length of the pre-cut lumber than any other factor. The forces at the exact location determine the plates sizes.

I didn’t see anything wrong in the pictures you provided.

Very common even with a low pitch roof chords can be 30’ or longer. See XII @ http://www.truss-frame.com/design-engineer.html

http://www.truss-frame.com/

There is nothing wrong with that splice plate.
It was engineered by the truss Manufacture that way and was most likely due to the run of the truss span exceeded 16’. The splices are usually centered between panel points where they do not affect tension or compression of the members as drastic as it may seem.

On roof trusses of spans of 60 feet or more, splices would even be more prominent. Those connector plates are all Engineered to do what they do and location is also part of the equations.

Marcel :slight_smile: :slight_smile:
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Practically impossible to install those gangnails onsite without makin’ 'em look butchered. They have to be rolled on at the yard to look that good. It’s fine.

They look like splices. They are in trusses to join shorter members together. Lumber used in trusses is typically 12’-20 in length. Anything longer than that is pre-spliced with metal plates. It is standard practice.