An ASABE Meeting Presentation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.13031/aim.201800034
Paper Number: 1800034

Post Frame Building Design and Construction Options

David R. Bohnhoff
Biological Systems Engineering Department
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, Wisconsin, USA 53706
bohnhoff@wisc.edu

Written for presentation at the

2018 ASABE Annual International Meeting
Sponsored by ASABE
Detroit, Michigan
July 29-August 1, 2018

ABSTRACT. A post-frame building was designed and constructed to evaluate alternative methods for resisting structural
loads, controlling heat transfer, fabricating components, and efficient and safe construction. Specifically addressed in this
report are a frost-protected shallow foundation, rigid concrete-to-wood post connection bracket, mechlam post fabrication
device, prefabricated purlins, on-site lumber drying, post-supported scaffold system, non-powered mobile work platforms,
temporary truss spacer-restraint, skid steer loader boom crane, foot ledge for purlin installation, diaphragm trusses, and
deep, stepped fascia framing.

Keywords. boom crane, construction safety, diaphragm action, fascia framing, laminated post, lumber drying, mechlam
post, mechanical connection, post fabrication, post-frame building, scaffolding, shallow foundation, truss installation,
wood purlin, wood truss.

The authors are solely responsible for the content of this meeting presentation. The presentation does not necessarily reflect the official position of the
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), and its printing and distribution does not constitute an endorsement of views
which may be expressed. Meeting presentations are not subject to the formal peer review process by ASABE editorial committees; therefore, they are
not to be presented as refereed publications. Publish your paper in our journal after successfully completing the peer review process. See
www.asabe.org/JournalSubmission for details. Citation of this work should state that it is from an ASABE meeting paper. EXAMPLE: Author’s Last
Name, Initials. 2018. Title of presentation. ASABE Paper No. ---. St. Joseph, MI.: ASABE. For information about securing permission to reprint or
reproduce a meeting presentation, please contact ASABE at www.asabe.org/permissions (2950 Niles Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659 USA).
*

Introduction
Like numerous individuals, I have had a close affiliation with post-frame buildings almost my entire life. I constructed
my first pole building on my family’s dairy farm when I was eleven. This led to a career doing post-frame building related
research and standard development, as well as actual post-frame building design and construction.
Many of my post-frame building related projects and/or developments were spurred by discussions I have had with
others in the industry or by something I have observed in the field, at trade shows, or in the research laboratory. Other
developments arose out of fundamental need, giving credence to the saying that necessity is the mother of invention.
The following paper contains twelve “options” for post-frame building design and construction that are associated with
a food processing and machinery storage (FP&MS) facility I am currently constructing. Many of these options are
permutations or slight twists on methods and/or systems developed and currently used by others in the industry. Other of
these options are unique to my current project. In all cases, the options are presented here (1) as a means of formal
documentation, (2) to enhance brainstorming and hence development of similar ideas by others, and (3) to solicit critical
evaluation and associated feedback by others.

1. Frost-Protected Shallow Foundation

A somewhat unconventional foundation design was selected for the FP&MS building. Specifically, a two-foot high
concrete wall was cast atop a slab-on-grade foundation featuring a perimeter grade beam. Extruded polystyrene insulation
was placed on the exterior vertical surface of both the 2 foot wall and the perimeter grade beam. Horizontal wing
insulation was placed at the base of the grade beam and covered with approximately two feet of gravel and topped with ¾-
inch stone. Details of this system with dimensions are shown in figure 1.

Nominal 2- by 10-inch sill plate

Notched and preservative- treated over 7.5 inch wide foam sill
nominal 2- by 6-inch bottom girt sealer (only between posts)

Tuff II foundation coating Three 1/2 in. dia.

Extruded polystyrene 3/4 in. thick longitudinal rebar in wall

8.75 in.
10.75 in. 24 in.

Extruded polystyrene 2 in. thick (not present at 1/2 in. dia. dowel bar 3 ft o.c.
concrete-to-wood post connection locations)
3/8 in. dia. rebar 24 in o.c.
in both directions in slab
Volclay waterstop RX-102 3/8- by 3/4- in.

Four 5/8 in. dia. longitudinal bars in grade beam 5 in.

surrounded by 3/8 in. dia. stirrup every 5 feet
Extruded polystyrene 2 in. thick 12 in.
10 mil poly
vapor retarder

6 in.
24 in. 14 in.

Figure 1. Cross section of the frost-protected shallow foundation at a location selected for the FP&MS building.

The two foot high concrete wall was selected for sanitation, temperature moderation, and durability reasons. As a food
processing facility that will require routine floor washdowns, it was felt that relative to other options, a properly-coated
concrete wall base would have fewer hard-to-clean areas, fewer joints with the ability to absorb water, and hence less
potential for harboring and growing unwanted microorganisms. An exterior-insulated concrete wall also provides valuable
thermal mass that helps moderate indoor temperature. Note that with (1) an exterior foundation insulation system, (2) a
heavily insulated super-structure, and (3) an un-insulated slab, the FP&MS facility is designed to utilize underlying soil for
winter heating and summer cooling – an environmental control strategy in which interior thermal mass is most beneficial.
The two foot high concrete wall also enables the placement of wood posts and other wood products located a foot or so
above the exterior grade, thereby reducing reliance on preservative-treated lumber, and also reducing the potential for
rodents and other unwanted critters from entering the structure through the building envelope. Finally, the two-foot high
concrete wall facilitated installation of the rigid concrete-to-wood post connectors described in the following section.
The foundation design is unconventional in that seldom is a short concrete wall placed atop a slab-on-grade foundation.
ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 1
If a short concrete wall is needed, it’s generally cast as a stem wall atop a continuous spread footing, with a slab cast inside
the stem wall at some later date. The primary reason for casting the concrete wall atop the slab-on-grade foundation was
that it simplified the construction process. Relative to the stem-wall-on-footing option, less time and less forming were
required to complete all concrete work. In this case, concrete work was effectively broken into two steps: (1) placement of
an easy to form slab (figure 2a), and (2) casting of a reinforced concrete wall containing heavy-duty concrete-to-wood post
connectors (figure 2b).

(a) (b)
Figure 2. FP&MS building’s frost-protected shallow foundation: (a) slab-on-grade foundation with perimeter-grade beam cast over 10 mil
polyethylene vapor retarder, and (b) formwork for two-foot high concrete wall with concrete-to-wood post connections fixtured in place.

Selection of the unconventional foundation design was somewhat influenced by the equipment available for the job.
We own enough EFCO Corporation hand-set wall forms to cast about 120 lineal feet of 2-foot high wall, and we also have
the ability to quickly and inexpensively fabricate concrete form ties to any size. In this case, form ties were fabricated to
hold an inside-to-inside form spacing of 10.75 inches. As shown in figure 2b, additional holes were punched in ties
spanning across the top of the wall forms in order to fixture sill plate anchor bolts.
The two-inch thick extruded polystyrene (XPS) shown on the outside of the foundation in figure 1 was placed inside
slab and wall forms prior to concrete placement. As noted in figure 1, and shown in figures 2b and 3a, the 2-inch thick
XPS was not installed in the wall at concrete-to-wood post connector locations. This was done to provide two extra inches
of concrete cover on the rebar used to anchor the connectors. To partly compensate for the resulting lack of thermal
insulation at connector locations, 3/4 inch thick XPS was added to the entire exterior face of the concrete wall after form
removal (figure 3b). XPS attachment was made with a one-part moisture curing polyurethane.
One drawback from placing an exterior concrete wall atop a slab is the need to block water from entering through the
cold-joint between the wall and slab. This was addressed by placing a waterstop (Volclay waterstop RX-102 3/8- by 3/4-
inch) on the slab just prior to casting the wall (figure 1).

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 2

 (a) (b)
Figure 3. Installing: (a) 2-inch thick XPS wing insulation, and (b) ¾ inch thick XPS wall insulation

Figure 4. Recommended 2016 UW-Madison concrete-to-wood post connection bracket without (left) and with wood
post (center). Tapered wood post end (upper right) and bottom view showing space between shoe angles (lower right).

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 3

 2. Rigid Concrete-to-Wood Post Connection Bracket
Four different research projects at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have focused on rigid concrete-to-wood post
connections (Flouro, Bunnow, & Bohnhoff, 2006; Bohnhoff, Bohnhoff & Holstein, 2011; Holstein and Bohnhoff, 2015;
and Bohnhoff, 2017). The first three of these projects involved attachment of a concrete pier to an identically sized wood
post using a connection that did not increase assembly cross-sectional dimensions. The last of these four projects did not
place this size restriction on the connection, and led to the development of the connection bracket shown in figure 4 – a
connection bracket specially design for attaching a post comprised of three nominal 2- by 6-inch layers to a concrete pier,
slab or wall.
Since three-layer posts fabricated from nominal 2- by 10-inch lumber were designed into the FP&MS facility, the
project provided the opportunity to expand research that resulted in the connection bracket in figure 4. More specifically,
the FP&MS facility project provided the opportunity to design a concrete-to-wood post connection with high bending
strength and high bending stiffness for a 3-layer wood post with a 9.25 inch face width. The end result was the connection
bracket shown in figure 5. Material requirements, dimensions, and some design calculations for this bracket are provided
in Appendix A. Because the connection has not yet been laboratory tested, its true bending strength and stiffness are not
known, nor is it known if calculations account for all possible failure modes.

(c)

(a) (b) (d)

Figure 5. Concrete-to-wood post connection bracket for three-layer post with face width of 9.25 inches: (a) side view; (b)
front view; (c) close-up of 90-degree bent shoes; and (d) bracket fixtured in wall forms.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 4

 There are three visible differences between the bracket designs in figures 4 and 5, herein referred to as the 3x6 and
3x10 designs, respectively. First is that one set of anchoring rebars for the 3x10 design are bent. Such bending is specific
to the actual project and not to overall connection design. In the FP&MS building, the bracket sits toward the outside edge
of the wall forms (figure 5c) and to get adequate cover on the outer rebars required they be slightly bent toward the center
of the concrete wall. The second visible difference is that the 3x10 design features U-shaped side plates instead of the flat
side plates of the 3x6 design. While more costly to fabricate, the U-shaped plate was fabricated from thinner, and hence
less expensive sheet steel. Also, from a bending strength and stiffness perspective, the U-shaped plate is a more
structurally efficient component. The third visible difference is that the 3x10 design incorporates shoes with a 90 degree
bend instead of the 80 degree bent shoes of the 3x6 design. These shoes are fundamentally important for preventing
strength-reducing splits induced by high stresses around fasteners at the base of a post. The 80 degree bent shoes of the
3x6 design require the wood post base to be tapered as shown in figure 4. While this helps ensure a tight fit between the
bracket and wood post, it also generally prevents the post from fully seating in the bracket (i.e., it often does not allow the
post to contact the shoe base), and accurately tapering a post tends to be a more difficult machining operation.
To facilitate use of the 90 degree shoes, the base of each post was accurately notched on both sides using a router and
a specially-fabricated router guide (figure 6a). Notch depth was set to provide a post width 1/16- to 1/8-inch less than the
8.25 inch distance between opposing shoes. This relatively tight tolerance was made possible by keeping posts dry so they
would not expand prior to insertion in the brackets.
Immediately prior to inserting a post in its bracket, the base of the bracket was filled with polyurethane adhesive to fill
in any gaps between the post base and surrounding bracket as the post was installed (figure 6b). Enough adhesive was
used to ensure that a portion of the adhesive was extruded out holes placed in the bracket for fixturing and water drainage
purposes (figure 6c).

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 6. Use of end-notched posts required: (a) use of a router and special routing jig to do the notching; (b) placement of polyurethane
adhesive in the bracket base just prior to post installation to fill in gaps between the notched post base and bracket, and (c) use of enough
adhesive to force extrusion of some adhesive out bracket holes used for bracket fixturing (figure 5d).

3. Mechlam Post Fabrication Device

Special fixturing for fabrication of mechlam posts is required to obtain a relatively straight and untwisted post with
minimal interlayer gaps. This fixturing generally involves clamping laminates along their entire length (and in both
directions) to a straight and stiff structural assembly. Frequently this structural assembly includes a beam/girder with a
flexural stiffness measurably greater than that of the mechlam post being assembled. Fixturing assemblies containing such
a beam/girder are commonly referred to as strongbacks.
Over the past three decades, we have had several research projects at the University that involved mechlam post
fabrication. For all of these projects our strongbacks were wood assemblies. Most were built around a glulam beam, and
none were capable of fabricating mechlams longer than 16 feet. Since the FP&MS building required fabrication of posts
up to 24 feet in length, a new strongback was needed. Consequently, a decision was made to design a system that would
utilize the 20 foot W14x30 steel I-beam that had already been obtained for use as the header above an ~18 foot wide door
opening in the FP&MS building.
Shown in figure 7 is the mechlam post fabrication device that was developed. It consists of two stands upon which the
I-beam is mounted, and six adjustable, dual-directional clamping assemblies. The clamping assemblies are adjustable in
that they can be set for laminating 2, 3 or 4 layer assemblies (i.e., 3.0, 4.5 and 6.0 inch thick assemblies, respectively) with
ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 5
lumber face widths between 3 and 10 inches. Clamping is accomplished by using an impact wrench to turn 0.75 inch
diameter NC hex-head bolts. Dual-directional clamping was accomplished by loosely tightening the clamps against the
wide face of the assembly, fully tightening clamps contacting laminate edges, and then fully tightening clamps against the
wide face of the assembly.
Working at a steady pace, I was able to fabricate a 22-foot long end wall post from three nominal 2- by 10-inch
members in just under 20 minutes. This included loading the lumber into the device, placing polyurethane adhesive
between layers, clamping the layers, predrilling 30 screw holes and driving screws into the predrilled holes, unclamping
the assembly, cutting it to length, and removing it from the device, all without assistance.

Figure 7. Mechlam post fabrication device set for receiving lumber (left) and with a three-layer assembly clamped in place (right).

4. Prefabricated Purlins
For construction purposes, a decision was made to used nominal 2- by 4-inch purlins-on-edge in a two-span
configuration with on-center purlin spacings of 18.5, 20, and 21.5 inches. Twenty foot long lumber was used. For the
nine foot bay width this produced a two foot purlin lap at each purlin end. The variation in purlin spacing was a direct
result of using a two-span configuration and staggering purlin end joints in adjacent purlin rows (see figure 8).

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

20 in. 18.5 in. 24 in.

40 in.
20 in. 21.5 in.

20 in. 9 ft

40 in.
20 in.

Figure 8. Spacing and relative arrangement of purlins. Drawing not to scale. X’s mark location of nails installed during truss erection. Black
dots mark the location of nails fully installed after all trusses had been set.

Purlin attachment was with brite, hardened, ringshank nails from Maze Nails with a 0.200 shank diameter (5-1/2
gauge), 6.0 inch length and 0.469 inch head diameter (Maze Nails Series H530-A). Noteworthy is the fact that these were
the only nails on the FP&MS building construction site as screws and bolts were used for all other connections - both
temporary and permanent. Although screw attachment of purlins was strongly considered for withdrawal strength and
ease of installation and eventual disassembly purposes, the temptation to use screws could not overcome the allure of
using a nail fastener that (1) has been synonymous with post-frame buildings for decades, and (2) was manufactured in the
ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 6
USA by Maze Nails – a company with top notch people and arguably the best hardened ringshank nails in the world.
Purlin prefabrication consisted of driving all nails into pre-drilled holes prior to transport to the building site. The first
step in this process was to mark the three truss location regions (i.e., three 1.5 inch wide bands) on one edge and one face
of each purlin. A hand held electric drill with a 0.125 inch diameter bit was used to drill holes in the center of each truss
location area on the marked edge. Nails were then driven in from the opposite side (unmarked edge) of the purlin to a
depth of approximately 3.4 inches. Driving in from the opposite side ensures that nail points exit the purlin near the center
of the truss top chord even in those situations where the pre-drilled holes (and hence driven nails) were not exactly
perpendicular to the purlin edge.
Truss location lines placed on the face of each purlin are fundamentally important for purlin positioning during
attachment. Once a purlin is properly positioned on a truss, one swing of a hammer locks the purlin in place, thereby
enabling the installer to fully focus on nail driving during subsequent swings. It follows that advantages of pre-driving
nails the entire purlin depth include: (1) quicker purlin lockdown, (2) less overall time and energy expended on the roof by
the framing crew, and (3) more accurate nail placement and hence better connections on average.
To accelerate truss erection, only two of the three nails in each purlin were driven “home” as trusses were set; these
being the nails marked with an “X” in figure 8. Truss spacing is fixed once the “X” marked nails have been installed.
Spacing of truss lateral support at this point is effectively equal to twice the purlin spacing (40 inches in figure 8) which is
generally adequate for construction loads. The third nail (identified with a white dot in figure 8) is either located in an end
truss (truss number 1 in figure 8) or at purlin lap joint. Prior to driving this nail home, the lapped purlins were clamped
together, and in some cases rotated with the clamp to remove twist (figure 9a). After driving the nail home, six 2.5-inch
long deck screws were driven into the lap joint (figure 9b) to (1) enable transfer of axial forces from purlin-to-purlin for
diaphragm action, and (2) provide resistance to purlin end rotation about its strong bending axis.

(a) (b)
Figure 9. (a) Driving home the third purlin nail, and (b) installing purlin lap connectors

Even with the additional resistance to purlin end rotation provided by the two foot purlin lap joint, the nominal 2- by 4-
inch purlins would not meet IBC strength and stiffness criteria without a decrease in purlin spacing. If the FP&MC
building had been required to meet IBC performance requirements, a switch to fully-recessed or notched nominal 2- by 6-
inch purlins would likely have been made. Figure 10 shows deep end-notched purlin designs tested at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison (Barker, 2009). Notching helps fix truss spacing, reduces purlin-to-truss fastener length, and reduces
purlin roll tendencies. Notched purlins can be installed more rapidly than fully recessed purlins that require special
hangers, however, they typically require special notch reinforcement (figures 10a and 10b). Shown in figure 11 is the
August, 2003 installation of nominal 2- by 6-inch notched purlins by University of Wisconsin-Madison undergraduate
students. These particular notched purlins are NOT reinforced but have special end tapers for reducing stress
concentrations. The student on the left in figure 11 is using a tagline to lift a purlin (a student on the ground “feeds”
purlins to installers on each slope of the roof by attaching taglines to purlins using the pre-driven nails).

dn
d

d/4 max

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 10. Deep end notched purlins tested at the University of Wisconsin-Madison included (a) screw reinforced notches, and (b) metal plated
connector (MPC) reinforced notches. (c) Current design procedures only cover end notches up to a quarter of the depth of the member.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 7

 Figure 11. Notched purlin installation at the University of Wisconsin Agricultural Research Station in Rhinelander on August 14, 2003.

5. On-Site Lumber Drying

Preservative-treated lumber often shows up at the building site at a relatively high moisture content. Even through it
was stamped KDAT (kiln-dried after treatment), the preservative treated lumber obtained for the FP&MS building arrived
on-site at a moisture content in excess of 30%. Due to a concern that the lumber would significantly warp as it dried, the
lumber was unbanded, restacked with 0.5- by 1.5 inch stickers inserted between layers, and then tightly rebanded. The
approximately 2-foot wide stack was then covered with a sheet of corrugated steel held in place with two ratchet straps
(figure 12). Although the steel banding became quite loose as the lumber air-dried, there was very little warpage. In the
future, we would replace steel banding with ratchet straps that could be quickly retightened as lumber shrinks.
The corrugated steel used to cover the wet lumber was a scrap piece used to protect roof steel during transport to the
building site. This same piece of steel was subsequently used to keep posts and other lumber dry as it arrived on site.

Figure 12. Wet preservative-treated lumber was stickered and covered with scrap steel for air-drying on site.

6. Post-Supported Scaffold System

Above grade work on the FP&MS building was facilitated with the use of a JLG 40H man lift, an aerial work
platform/safety cage for a telehandler or skidsteer loader, non-powered mobile work platforms, and a post-supported
scaffold system. All four of these items are visible to some extent in figure 13. I designed and fabricated the post-
supported scaffold system in 2003 for construction of the Rhinelander machinery storage building and have used it on
several projects since. It has five major elements: post clamp, support bracket, guardrail support, scaffold plank, and
guardrail. It is the post clamp and support bracket that make the system unique. Figure 14 contains post clamp and
support bracket installation pictures taken during inaugural use of the post-supported scaffold system. Detailed drawings
of the post clamp, support bracket and guardrail support are provided in Appendix B.
ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 8
Figure 13. Above-grade work facilitated by JLG 40H man lift (sticking through door opening), aerial work platform/safety cage (foreground),
mobile work platforms (inside building) and post-supported scaffolding system (under eaves on both sides of the building).

Figure 14. Post-supported

scaffolding system during its
inaugural use at the University of
Wisconsin Rhinelander Agricultural
Research Station in 2003: upper left:
scaffold plank and special shipping
container containing post clamps and
support brackets; upper right:
positioning post clamp; middle left:
tightening post clamp in place;
middle right: support bracket
pinned to post clamp; lower left:
support bracket pivoted into place;
lower right: backside of post after
support bracket has been locked
(pinned) in place.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 9

 Main advantages of the post-supported scaffold system are that it does not require any special fasteners for installation;
can be installed between or over girts; works on 2, 3 and 4 layer posts fabricated from nominal 2- by 6-, 8- and 10-inch
wide lumber; and can be quickly and easily installed and removed by one person (although two workers are shown in
figure 13).
Scaffold plank are 24 inches wide, 144 inches long and 2.75 inches thick. They were fabricated by gluing and screwing
3/8-inch inch thick exterior grade plywood to a wood frame 2.0 inches thick. Planks are lapped over the top of support
brackets (figure 15a).
Guardrail supports slide down into support brackets and are held in place with Lynch pins (figure 15b) although bolts,
hairpin cotter pins or any other locking pin can be used. Guardrail supports are designed to hold two nominal 2-inch thick
guardrails. Guardrails are fastened to guardrail supports with deck screws (figure 15c).

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 15. Post-supported scaffolding system: (a) planks lapped over supports; (b) guardrail support attachment; (c) guardrail attachment.

7. Non-Powered Mobile Work Platforms

Wheel-mounted mobile work platforms are commonly used in the low-rise steel and post-frame building industries for
quick and safe attachment of sidewall steel, and as a mobile guardrail for roofing work. Mobile work platforms can be
broadly categorized as either non-powered or self-propelled. The most popular non-powered mobile work platforms are
those manufactured by RUSTGO Company of Spencer, Nebraska (figure 16). Self-propelled mobile work platforms
include a host of lifts including units like the truck and tractor mounted units shown in figure 17.

Figure 16. RUSTGO all-terrain non-powered mobile work platforms. Images from https://www.rustgousa.com/

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 10

 Figure 17. Truck and tractor mounted work platforms being used by Morton Buildings to construct a building for the 2003 Wisconsin Farm
Technology Days show.

The RUSTGO “wagon-mounted” work platforms were the inspiration for the bale-covered wagons used in the 2007
construction of a calf barn for my brother Mark Bohnhoff. As shown in figure 18, five wagons, each covered with large
square bales, were used as mobile platforms during truss erection. While the primary purpose of the wagons was to
prevent falls onto the concrete surface, they also facilitated truss erection by serving as a perch for individuals passing
purlins up to roof framers.

Figure 18. Five wagons, each covered with large square bales, serve as a mobile work and fall protection platform during construction of a calf
barn by a group of dairy farmers.

The effectiveness and low cost of the mobile “hay wagon” platforms led to a somewhat similar setup for construction
of the FP&MS building. Specifically, a 16- by 16-foot wood platform was placed on each of three bale thrower racks for
use in truss erection as shown in figure 19. Collectively, the three wood platforms will form a 16- by 48-foot mezzanine in
the northwest corner of the building. In fact, the 16- by 48-foot mezzanine platform was first constructed on the concrete
slab as shown in figure 19 and then cut into the three sections for placement on the thrower racks.
The mobile work platforms were instrumental in enabling two people (a framer and a telehandler operator) to
effortlessly set trusses. When rolled into place, the three platforms formed a continuous deck between sidewalls. This
enabled the framer to rapidly move between truss ends and make temporary post-to-truss connections while the
telehandler operator positioned the truss. Once temporary connections were completed on both truss ends, the telehandler
was powered down while still attached to the truss. Truss spacer restraints (discussed later) were then installed using a
stepladder resting on the mobile platform (figure 20). The telehander operator then moved to the mobile work platforms
and handed purlins up to the framer for installation.
The large work area provided by the three mobile work platforms used on the FP&MS building is difficult to replicate
for the price when you have (1) free and ready access to bale thrower racks, and (2) a mezzanine designed into the facility
you are building. Collectively, the three non-powered platforms were repositioned for the next truss placement by two
workers in about two minutes; thus at a speed that would not detract from their use.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 11

 Figure 19. Above: hayrack mounted work platforms in place under the first interior truss; below: work platforms were cut from a mezzanine
floor that was prefabricated on the concrete slab directly below its eventual location in the building.

Figure 20. View looking north from atop the mobile work platforms. Truss spacing in this bay is currently fixed by purlins on the north side of
the roof and two truss spacer restraints on the south side of the roof. Truss spacer restraints removed from the north side of the roof lie on the
work platform along with the purlins for the south side of the roof. The stepladder was used by the roof framer to install truss spacer restraints
and to descend from the ridge after moving from the eave to the ridge while installing purlins.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 12

 The FP&MS project is not the first project on which I have used a bale thrower rack. On a previous job, roof steel was
placed atop a bale thrower rack filled with small square bales. The wagon was pulled along the eave and served as a good
platform for passing/sliding steel onto the roof while simultaneously serving as a catch platform should someone slide off
the roof.
Although interior finishing of the FP&MS has yet to commence, we fully plan on using the mobile wood platforms for
ceiling steel installation, after which the platforms will be removed from their wagon perch for use as mezzanine flooring.

8. Temporary Truss Spacer-Restraint

Commercially-available truss spacer-restraints (figure 21) are commonly used to stabilize trusses during erection, and
to fix 16- and 24-inch o.c. truss spacings for application of wood-based panels. Most truss spacer-restraints are permanent
components as they are not removed after panel application.

Figure 21. Simpson Strong Tie truss spacer-restraint. From

https://www.strongtie.com/spacingrestraintandbracingproducts_platedtrussconnectors/tsbr_restraint/p/tsbr

Inasmuch as roof purlins serve the same purpose as truss spacer-restraints in stabilizing trusses and fixing truss spacing,
there typical is no use for special truss spacer-restraints when roof framing requires purlins. That said, I fabricated and
utilized what I refer to as temporary truss spacer-restraints for FP&MS building construction, and found them to be a good
framing aid. I was working as the sole roof framer and used four temporary truss spacer-restraints to hold truss spacing
across the bay as I installed purlins (figure 22).

Figure 22. Four truss spacer-restraints being used to hold truss spacing and also stabilize truss as purlins are installed.

Each temporary truss spacer-restraint was fabricated using an 11 foot, 1.0- by 2.0-inch rectangular tube with a 0.075
inch (14 gage) wall thickness, and four 3-inch wide bent plates fabricated from 7 gage (0.18 inch thick) steel. Figure 23
contains dimensional details for one end of a temporary truss spacer-restraint. As shown in figure 23, each set of plates
forms a Vee that helps catch and then guide the truss into position against the tube.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 13

 Top View

0.20 in. dia hole

4.2 in.

1.6
2.25 in. in.

Side View 1.0 in.

Bottom View

1.0- by 2.0-inch 14 gage tube

Figure 23. One end of a temporary truss spacer restraint

Each truss spacer-restraint was installed while standing on a ladder leaning against the top chord of the previously
placed (and stabilized) truss, and then reaching the spacer-restraint out and grabbing the top chord of the unstabilized truss
(i.e., the truss chained to the telehandler). The spacer-restraint was then pushed away or pulled toward the stabilized truss
until in could be locked into the top chord of the stabilized truss. Pulling down on the spacer-restraint at this point was
sufficient to lock the trusses firmly in place. In some cases a few taps with a hammer were required to fully seat a truss
into the truss spacer-restraint. Although truss spacer-restraints contain holes that enable the devices to be screwed to the
trusses, the screw holes were not used during erection of the FP&MS building trusses.

9. Skid Steer Loader Boom Crane

As an extremely maneuverable power unit that can be fit with a variety of attachments, the skid steer loader has become
an almost indispensible tool on many construction sites. On the FP&MS building site, a Gehl SL6640 skid steer loader
was used with attachments that included a standard utility bucket, pallet forks, auger, trencher, aerial work platform/safety
cage, and toe bar. Soon after FP&MS building framing commenced, a 10-foot boom crane was specially designed and
fabricated for the skid steer loader (figure 24) and rapidly became one of the more popular attachments on site as it was
used to install the sliding door header, move trusses, install posts, and to lift items out of truck beds and off trailers.

Figure 24. Boom crane constructed for FP&MS building construction

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 14

 It’s important to point out that the device in figure 24 is not just a boom, but a boom crane. Numerous booms are
commercially available for skid steer loaders, including units that are manually and hydraulically telescoping. In this case,
what makes the unit a boom crane (and not just a simple boom) is a 2500 lbf remotely-controlled ATV winch located near
the skid steer attachment plate (figure 25). The advantage a boom crane has over a simple boom is the ability to lift
objects that are very close to the front of the skid steer loader. This is done with the boom crane in a near vertical position
and then extending the cable until it can be attached to the object to be lifted. By lifting closer to the front of the skid steer
loader, the loader can be used to lift heavier objects and/or to lift objects in a more stable manner.

Figure 25. Boom crane base (left) and end pulley (right).

Perhaps the biggest advantage a boom crane has over simple booms is provided by a remote control winch. For
example, I moved the door header up and down with a remote control on a keychain, while standing on the ladder and
working to attach the header to its support posts (figure 24). The remote control winch also enabled one person to both
lower and guide the relatively heavy, mechlam posts into their respective brackets. In both cases (while setting the header
and posts) the skid steer loader was shut off, thereby hydraulically locking lift cylinders, tilt cylinders, and skid steer wheel
drive motors. Prior to shutting off the skid steer loader and leaving the operator compartment, the crane winch was
operated to insure that any sudden stop of the winch would not move/rotate the skid steer loader in any manner.
Relative to a simple boom, the boom on a boom crane will generally be subjected to higher forces when lifting the same
mass. The exact difference in forces depends on winch location. If θ is defined as the angle of the boom from a level
surface, then the shear force and axial compressive force induced in a simple boom are given as:
Boom Shear Force = Object Weight (cos θ) (1)
Simple Boom Axial Compressive Force = Object Weight (sin θ) (2)
When the winch on a boom crane is located near the base of the machine, and the cable from the winch to the end of the
crane runs parallel to the boom, boom shear force is still given by equation 1, but boom axial compression force increases
by the weight of the object being lifted. In equation form:
Boom Crane Axial Compressive Force = Object Weight (1 + sin θ) (3)
An example of the differences in simple boom forces and boom crane forces as calculated using equations 1 thru 3 is
given in figure 26.

Boom Crane Simple Boom

100 lbf

71 lbf
71 lbf
100 lbf
45° 100 lbf
45°

M
M
171 lbf 71 lbf
Figure 26. Free body diagram of boom forces due to a 100 lbf weight for a boom crane (left) and simple boom (right) at a 45 degree boom angle.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 15

 I fabricated the boom crane in about 8 hours using steel left over from other projects and a universal skid steer
attachment plate salvaged from an old rubber tire scraper. The only purchased items were the winch and battery. Fully
assembled, the unit weighs 284 lbm. The boom extends 10 feet from the top of the universal skid steer attachment plate.
When in the horizontal position, the center of gravity of the boom crane is 24 inches in front of the attachment plate. The
unit was designed to lift approximately 1.5 times the rated capacity of the winch – a load that would easily put the skid
steer loader on its nose if the boom was horizontal.
The boom crane in figures 24 and 25 is neither the first nor the most impressive boom crane to be constructed for the
Gehl SL6640 used on the FP&MS project. Those two honors go to the knuckle boom crane shown in figure 27 which was
designed and fabricated in 2008 by a University of Wisconsin-Madison senior design team comprised of Andrew Holstein,
Peter Harris, Kyle Nelson and Pao Her. The unit is capable of lifting a 3500 lbm object to a height of 40 feet and
transporting the object while it is suspended. This is accomplished with a pair of dual-wheeled casters that function as
rolling outriggers, as well as a plumbing cylinder which enables the side-to-side tilt of the crane to be adjusted as sloping
terrain is transversed. During operation, the front wheels of the skid steer remain off the ground (the machine is only
supported on the steer skid’s rear wheels and the crane’s caster wheels). This essentially transforms the skid steer with
attached crane into a zero-radius-turn machine, and provides outstanding maneuverability. After the crane is attached to
the loaders lifts arms, the load arms are brought down against the loader (this action lifts the front wheels of the loader off
the ground), and a special link is used to lock the crane to the skid steer. As a measure of capacity, the unit can lift an 1800
lbm object located 35 feet in front of the outriggers, and a 2500 lbm object located 25 feet in front of the outriggers.

Figure 27. Knuckle boom crane designed and fabricated in 2008 by University of Wisconsin-Madison students Andrew Holstein (upper left),
Peter Harris, Kyle Nelson and Pao Her.

10. Foot Ledge for Purlin Installation

Attached to the sides of trusses in figures 11, 18, 19, 20 and 22 are nominal 2- by 4-inch members positioned parallel
to, and approximately two feet below, truss top chords. These are temporary members that facilitate purlin attachment by
enabling a framer to safely sit on a truss and to move easily and comfortably up and down a truss, while at all times
straddling the top chord. According to Leo Souder (owner since 1961 of M.P.B. Builders, Inc., Ripon, WI), use of such
members began in the 1960’s about the time that metal plate connected trusses replaced split ring connected trusses, and
truss clearspans began to commonly exceed 50 feet (Leo Souder, personal conversation, June 7, 2018).

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 16

 After discussions with several individuals with years of post-frame building experience, it is apparent that there is no
standard industry-wide name for these temporary components. During these discussions, terms such as “walking board”
and “foot board” were brought up. Leo Souder noted that many framing crews simply refer to the members as
“nutbusters”. Warren “Woody” Prehn (a 45+ year employee of Lester Building Systems, Lester Prairie, MN) stated that
they refer to such members as ledgers or ledger boards (Woody Prehn, personal conversation, June 7, 2018). Given the
apparent lack of an industry standard name, I recommend a slight modification to Lester’s use of “ledger” and propose that
such a component be referred to as a foot ledge or more specifically, a foot ledge for purlin installation.
Figure 28 illustrates use of a foot ledge on the FP&MS building project. In this particular application (for which the
roof has a 4-in-12 slope) the perpendicular distance between the top edge of the top chord and the top edge of the foot
ledge was fixed at 25 inches – about 10 inches less than the framer’s inseam. This 10-inch difference feels right for 4-in-
12 roof slopes. No experimentation has been done to see how much this difference should be decreased for increases in
roof slope.

Figure 28. The author standing on a temporary foot ledge.

Foot ledges serve no useful purpose once purlin installation has been completed. Often as they’re removed they are
immediately installed as permanent truss lower chord stiffeners.

11. Diaphragm Truss

Felt to be the most significant development on the FP&MS building project was the use of diaphragm trusses, herein
defined as parallel chord trusses that are located in the plane of the roof system between adjacent rafters and/or truss top
chords.
As its name implies, a diaphragm truss is a truss that functions as a diaphragm, which is to say that it functions as a
structural element in the transfer of lateral loads to vertical, force-resisting elements of the structure. When placed
between roof rafters and/or trusses in a post-frame building, a diaphragm truss transfers components of wind load (acting
normal to the endwall of the building) from the endwall to the sidewalls of the building where the forces are transferred
into the ground/foundation by posts and clad sidewalls. When posts, girts and attached cladding work together to actively
transfer in-plane shear forces, they are collectively referred to as a shearwall.
Figure 29 graphically illustrates the transfer of forces by diaphragm trusses located in the end bay of a building. Use of
diaphragm trusses for this purpose is generally only required when (1) a floating roof system is used and attached directly
to purlins (i.e. there is no wood panel substrate), and (2) no other diagonal bracing or cabling exists to transfer endwall
loads to the sidewalls. Given that a floating roof system attached directly to purlins in a post-frame building is a rare
thing, the need for diaphragm trusses as permanent structural elements in post-frame buildings is negligible.
The vast majority of diaphragm trusses are used during construction to establish and maintain a straight endwall, and to
keep purlins and trusses from shifting before and during roof panel application. Once an effective roof diaphragm has
been installed, diaphragm trusses become redundant structural elements.
Using diaphragm trusses to prevent lateral movement of trusses is extremely effective. In most buildings, diaphragm
trusses eliminate the need to add temporary diagonal bracing to purlin rows as trusses are set.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 17

Figure 29. Diaphragm action provided by diaphragm trusses (in red) located between roof rafters/truss top chords but in contact with purlins-
on-edge. Wind forces (blue arrows) are transferred to sidewalls by the diaphragm trusses, where they are ultimately resisted by post anchors
and/or soil pushing against embedded posts (green arrows).

Figure 30. Both diaphragm trusses in the west end bay were part of a ground assembly (upper left) that was lifted into place with a telehandler
(lower left). Right: Northwest diaphragm truss after ground assembly was fastened to posts.

Four diaphragm trusses (two in each end bay) were used to facilitate construction of the FP&MS building. Diaphragm
trusses in the west end bay were the first to be installed, and were part of a ground assembly that included the first interior
truss, both rake rafters, all end bay roof purlins, both rake rafters, an overhang with a deep fascia, and diagonal bracing
between the rake rafters and lower chord of the adjacent truss (figure 30). The total mass of the ground assembly was a bit
much for the telehandler (a Skytrack 6036), and we had to (1) quickly build a truss boom for the telehandler forks, and (2)
use some human counterweight to get the assembly into place. Once the west bay was set, we preceded to set all interior
ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 18
trusses, relying entirely on anchorage (via purlins) to the diaphragm trusses in the west end bay for lateral truss bracing.
East end bay purlins were then attached on the ground to their respective diaphragm truss, rake rafter and rake fascia
(figure 3 top). Each of these ground assemblies was then placed with the telehander (figure 3 bottom) – operations that
went much smoother than placement of the much larger west end bay assembly.

Figure 31. East end diaphragm truss ground assembly (top image) and placement (bottom image).

There are a handful of designers that are not comfortable relying on metal-clad wood-frame diaphragm action, and
there are buildings and building environments than can preclude reliance on metal-clad wood frame diaphragms. In all
such cases, the inclusion of diaphragm trusses in post frame building design would appear automatic, especially in wider
and taller buildings where (1) the total wind force acting on an endwall can be large, (2) maintaining a straight endwall
becomes more difficult, and (3) the need for solid lateral truss bracing becomes increasingly critical.
There are no design guidelines for diaphragm trusses despite their apparent need. More specifically, there are no
guidelines for sizing connections between diaphragm trusses and surrounding components, and for sizing connections
between individual diaphragm trusses where they butt at a ridge. Also, to what extent the interaction between a diaphragm
truss and the components to which it is attached (mainly surrounding chords/rafters) can be used to reduce the size of
diaphragm truss elements under various loads and load combinations requires some thought. Shown in figure 32 are roof
framing cross sections associated with the end bay of the FP&MS building. It is important to note that connection details
as identified in figure 32 were not the result of structural calculations (in this case, the diaphragm trusses are not being
relied upon for diaphragm action in the completed structure). With all diaphragm trusses, two screws were placed in each
intersection between a diaphragm truss web member and a roof purlin. In this manner, diaphragm truss web members
were provided support against out-of-plane buckling.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 19

 Parallel-to-Ridge Cross-Section Thru Diaphragm Truss
Diaphragm truss-to-rafter connection:
#9 by 3-inch deck screws 12 in. o.c.
Diaphragm truss-to-gable
truss connection: #9 by 3-
2- by 4-inch rake purlin-on-edge 108.75 in. inch deck screws 12 in. o.c.
2- by 6-inch
fly rafter
Diaphragm truss-to-ledger
2- by 10–inch Diaphragm truss with connection: #9 by 3-inch
subfascia 2- by 6-inch chords deck screws 24 in. o.c.

2- by 4-inch lookout 2- by 4-inch ledger Gable truss-to-ledger

connection: #9 by 3-inch
2- by 12-inch rake rafter deck screws 24 in. o.c.
Roof truss with 2- by
Mechlam post
10-inch top chord

Perpendicular-to-Ridge Cross-Section Thru Diaphragm Trusses

Diaphragm truss-to-splice plate connection:

#9 by 4-inch deck screws 12 in. o.c. Double 2- by 4-inch ridge purlins

Diaphragm truss Beveled 2- by 6-inch splice plate

2- by 4-inch rake purlin-on-edge

2- by 4-inch ledger

2- by 10-inch truss top chord

2- by 8-inch truss web 2- by 6-inch splice plate

Figure 32. Cross-sections thru diaphragm trusses (red elements). Lumber sizes are nominal. One-part moisture curing polyurethane adhesive
(not listed on diagram) used in addition to deck screw fasteners listed on diagram.

When using diaphragm trusses to provide lateral truss bracing and maintain a straight endwall/rake during construction,
the diaphragm trusses are best located in the roof plane. When diaphragm trusses are solely used to transfer wind loads in
a completed building, locating the trusses in a ceiling plane may be a less expensive option.

Roof line

2- by 4-inch purlin-on-edge

2- by 6-inch beveled purlin

2- by 10-inch truss top chord

2- by 6-inch strongback
2- by 10-inch slider for
deep heal truss
2- by 6-inch fascia purlin

2- by 4-inch
beveled top girt
2- by 10-inch subfascia

2- by 4-inch soffit support Mechlam post 2- by 10-inch truss lower chord

Figure 33. Cross section through eave overhang. All lumber sizes are nominal.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 20

 12. Deep Stepped Fascia Framing
A deep, stepped fascia was added to the FP&MS building for aesthetic reasons only. Cross-sections thru the rake and
eave fascia framing are shown in figures 32 and 33, respectively.
A key element of the eave fascia framing is the nominal 2- by 6-inch strongback used to (1) obtain and maintain a
straight eave, and (2) help tie the 2- by 6-inch fascia purlin to the 2- by 10-inch subfascia (figure 33). There is less need
for a strongback when roof panels are attached via thru-nailing or thru-screwing, since roof paneling attached in such a
manner will maintain a straight eave. However, a strongback is beneficial in holding the fascia straight while fastening
roof paneling, and is essential when there is a floating roof system and no other means to prevent fascia from bowing.
Strongbacks are measurably more effective in holding an eaveline straight if they are installed as multispan members,
meaning that they are in contact with at least three trusses. When multispan fascia purlins and/or multispan subfacia are
used, it is beneficial to stagger end joints between them and multispan strongbacks such that end joints are not on or near
the same truss.

Summary
A food processing and machinery storage (FP&MS) building was constructed in part to investigate various post-frame
building design and construction options. The following twelve items relating to this project were overviewed in this
report.
1. A frost-protected shallow foundation that features an externally-insulated, two-foot high concrete wall atop an
externally-insulated slab-on grade foundation with perimeter grade beam.
2. A rigid concrete-to-wood post connection bracket for three-layer mechlam posts fabricated from nominal 2- by 10
inch lumber.
3. A versatile mechlam post fabrication device that is obtained by attaching two stands and a series of adjustable
clamps to a wide flange I-beam. The device can be rapidly assembled and used anywhere such an I-beam is
available.
4. Prefabrication of purlins for more rapid and accurate installation.
5. Quick and uniform on-site lumber drying using wood stickers, ratchet straps and a scrap piece of corrugated sheet
steel.
6. A scaffolding system that is supported by brackets that can be rapidly clamped to building posts without any tools
or mechanical fasteners.
7. Large mobile work platforms obtained by placing sections of mezzanine flooring on bale thrower racks.
8. A specially fabricated bar for quickly fixing the spacing between adjacent trusses – a bar that snaps into place
without requiring additional tools or fasteners.
9. Use of a skid steer loader mounted boom crane to remotely maneuver (i.e., control from outside the skid steer
loader) a door header and mechlam posts, and to lift heavier objects than possible with a simple boom attachment.
10. Use of a foot ledge in purlin installation.
11. Incorporation of diaphragm trusses to maintain a straight endwall and to laterally support trusses during
construction, and to transfer wind loads from endwalls to sidewalls in a completed structure.
12. Use of a strongback in eave framing.

References
Barker, J. W. (2009). Reinforcement of end-notched wood beams using double-threaded screws. MS thesis. Madison,
Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Civil and Environment Engineering Department.
Bohnhoff, D.R. (2017). Rigid connections between wood posts and concrete. Frame Building News, 29(1):54-58.
Bohnhoff, D. R., Bohnhoff, A. R. & Holstein, A. J. (2011). Using a single steel pipe to connect a wood post to concrete.
ASABE Paper No. 1110892. St. Joseph, MI: ASABE
Flouro, A., Bunnow, K., and Bohnhoff, D. R. (2006). Moment resisting wood post-to-concrete pier connection. Biological
Systems Engineering Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3325.6567
Holstein, A. J. & Bohnhoff, D. R. (2015). Bending properties of concrete-to-wood I-section connections. Appl. Eng. Agric.,,
31(1): 121-131.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 21

 Appendix A. Rigid Concrete-to-Wood Post Connection Bracket
4.2 in. Shoe
2.0 in. 1.75 in.
0.75 in.
8.75 in. 4.65 in.
1.25 in.
0.5 in. 2.5 in.

A 1.5 in. 2.0 in.

2.0 in. A
B 3.0 in.
A
1.0 in. A

18.5 in.

32 in.

2.5 in.
A
B
1.0 in. 2.0 in.
A
1.5 in. 3.0 in. 4.25 in.

C
2.75 in. 2.5 in.
(typ) 4.0 in.
C C C 1.5 in.

4.2 in.
1.0 in.
8.4 in.
48 in.

A – 0.28 in. dia. hole for 0.25 in. dia. screw

B – 0.50 in. dia. hole for 0.5 in. dia. bolt
C – 0.75 in. dia. hole for U.S. No. 5 rebar

Figure A1. Rigid concrete-to-wood post connection bracket details.

Bracket Description
Each rigid concrete-to-wood post connection bracket was comprised of two side plates, two straight rebar, two bent
rebar and two shoes (figure A1). Each side plate was fabricated from a 9.5- by 32-inch piece of 0.135 inch thick (10 gage)
hot-rolled steel sheet. Fabrication consisted of punching holes with an ironworker and then bending a 0.75 inch wide
flange along each 32-inch long edge. All rebar were U.S. No. 6 (nominal 0.75 inch diameter) Grade 60 with a 48 inch
length. Each shoe was bent from a 0.25 inch thick piece of steel flat measuring 4.65- by 5.5- inches. A special welding
fixture was used to hold side plate alignment and spacing as fillet welds were placed around the entire exterior of each
shoe. Rebars were skip-welded to the side plates with 3 inches of weld every 6 inches on one side of the rebar. Total mass
of each bracket is 52.5 lbm (24.0 lbm rebar, 3.5 lbm shoes, 24.0 lbm side plates, plus weld).

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 22

Bracket Design Calculations
With actual cross-sectional dimensions of 4.25- by 9.25 inches, the 3x10 mechlams posts have a cross sectional area of
41.6 in2, a strong axis moment of inertia of 297 in4, and corresponding section modulus of 64.3 in3. To induce an average
maximum bending stress of 2000 lbf/in2 in a post requires a bending moment of 1.28E+05 in-lbf. To induce an average
maximum bending stress of 4000 lbf/in2 in a post requires a bending moment of 2.56E+05 in-lbf
An individual bracket has a strong axis moment of inertia of approximately 35 in4. To induce a bending stress of
30,000 lbf/in2 in the bracket requires a bending moment of 2.62E+05 in-lbf. This level of bracket bending stress is
reached when the average maximum bending stress in the wood post is just over 4000 lbf/in2.
The bracket was designed to be attached to a post using TrussLok-Z screws with a length of 4.5 inches and shank
diameter of 0.211 inches (TrussLok-Z Fastener Designation TSLZ412). These self-drilling screws are marketed as multi-
ply girder-truss fasteners. The 4.5 inch long fastener is designed to mechanically-laminate three trusses fabricated from
nominally 2-inch thick lumber. The 4.5 inch long TrussLok-Z screw is used in the post-frame building industry for
attaching posts to trusses. Although it is self-drilling, pre-drilling is recommended when fastening within 3.5 inches of the
end of a member and 2 inches from the edge of a member. In laboratory shear tests in which the bracket was attached to a
southern pine post with TrussLok-Z screws and then loaded perpendicular to the wood grain, the average force in a single
screw was found to be 860, 1415 and 1950 lbf for slips between the bracket and wood post of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 inches,
respectively. Average force required to fail a single TrussLok-Z screw connection was 3037 lbf.
Spacing between the center of the upper screw pattern and the top of the shoes is approximately 21 inches. With this
spacing, the bending moment of 2.56E+05 in-lbf (associated with a wood bending stress of 4000 lbf/in2) induces a shear
force of 12,200 lbf in the upper set of screws and in the base of the post. With this level of force, it was decided to use 8
screws in the top of the bracket, putting the force per screw at 1520 lbf or half that associated with fastener failure. It is
important to note that in addition to the force induced in the upper set of screws by the bending moment in the post, the
upper set of screws must also resist the shear force that is present in the wood post at a location just above the upper set of
screws.
The 12,200 lbf shear force in the base of the post is equivalent to a maximum wood shear stress of 440 lbf/in2.
The 12,200 lbf of shear in the base of the post is resisted by (1) the shoe that the post is pressing against, and (2) any
screw fasteners installed in the base of the bracket. If the shoe solely resists the shear force, and the wood post-to-shoe
contact area is 18.0 in2, the shear force applies an average pressure of 680 lbf/in2 to the shoe. Given equal and opposite
acting forces, the base of the wood post must be able to handle this pressure as a perpendicular-to-grain wood stress.

General Comments
All side plates were identically fabricated in accordance with the layout in Figure A1. The relatively odd pattern of
screw holes in each side plate ensures that when two plates are placed back-to-back, screws entering the wood post from
one side of the bracket do not interfere with screws driven from the opposite side. In fact, none of the eight screws that are
installed in the top of the bracket lie on the same vertical line.
Although the 0.50 inch diameter holes were placed in the side plates to simplify fixturing for welding, they were also
used (along with ½ inch diameter bolts) during post installation to compensate for a temporary shortage of 4.5 inch
TrussLok-Z screws on the job site.
Bending strength of the brackets is largely due to the four No. 6 rebars. Along with the shoes, the No. 6 rebars also
reduce the potential for side plate buckling.
As shown in figure 2b, the holes in the very bottom of each side plate hold two No. 5 rebars in place along the top of
the concrete wall. These longitudinal rebars provide critical anchorage of the brackets and also prevent widening of any
concrete crack that may extend from the edges of the embedded brackets. The rebars are just slid into place once the
connecting bracket is fixed into place on top of the concrete forms.
Space between the shoes facilitates placement and consolidation of concrete around the embedded side plates. Steel
angles (for fixturing each bracket in place on wall forms) are bolted to the bracket thru holes located in each of the shoes
(Figure 5d). These steel angles fix the height of the bracket relative to the top of the wall.
After concrete is cured and the steel angles removed, polyurethane is free to extrude out the holes in the shoes.
Polyurethane also gets extruded out of the hole located 4 inches above the base of each side plate. This hole is centered at
the level of the concrete and also allows for any precipitation (occurring prior to post installation) to drain out of the
bracket. Polyurethane adhesive fills in any gaps between the wood and the shoes and thus provides for a tighter joint and a
more uniform distribution of pressure. The polyurethane also prevent water from getting drawn into the connection, and
hence into the wood.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 23

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting

Appendix B. Post-Supported Scaffolding Component Details

11.0 in. 33.5 in.

9.75 in. 2.0 in.

7.75 in. 32.25 in.

6.00 in. 3/16- by 2-inch flat 22.25 in. 8.0 in.
(top and bottom)

A A 4.0 in.
1.5- by 1.5-inch rectangular tube (1/8 inch wall)
1
Figure B1. Support bracket

2
Section A-A
18.0 in.

2
3/16- by 2-inch
6.5 in. flat (both ears) 1

.
4 in
36 .
Section B-B

Tube with 1.25 in. O.D. and 0.78 in. I.D. 3.5 in.
B

B
Page 24
 1.5- by 1.5-inch rectangular tube (3/16 inch wall)
0.75 in. dia NC threaded rod 3/16- by 2-inch flat
0.78 in. dia.

0.25 in. 1.2 in. 2.5 in. 2.5 in.

9.0 in.
4.5 in.

7.4 in. 3.6 in.

Figure B2. Post clamp.

4.0 in. 3.1 in. 0.75 inch dia. round

3.5 in. 8.5 in.

1/8 inch thick

sheet steel 3.5 in.

0.38 inch dia. round

2.0- by 2.0-inch angle

29.5 in.
(1/8 inch thick) 0.75 inch dia. round

6.0 in.

1.125 inch dia. round 3.5 in.

0.38 inch dia. round

10.25 in.
8.5 in.
9.0 in.

7.4 in.
0.83 in. dia (typ)
1.5 x 1.5 x 3/16 inch tube

Figure B3. Guardrail support. Figure B4. Pins and clamp bar.

ASABE 2018 Annual International Meeting Page 25