SECTION 2303 MINIMUM STANDARDS AND QUALITY

2303.4 Trusses.

2303.4.1 Design. Wood trusses shall be designed in accordance with the provisions of this code and accepted engineering practice. Members are permitted to be joined by nails, glue, bolts, timber connectors, metal connector plates or other approved framing devices.

2303.4.1.1 Truss designer. The individual or organization responsible for the design of trusses.

2303.4.1.2 Truss design drawings. The written, graphic and pictorial depiction of each individual truss shall be provided to the building official and approved prior to installation. Truss design drawings shall also be provided with the shipment of trusses delivered to the job site. Truss design drawings shall include, at a minimum, the information specified below:

1. Slope or depth, span and spacing;

2. Location of joints;

3. Required bearing widths;

4. Design loads as applicable;

5. Top chord live load (including snow loads);

6. Top chord dead load;

7. Bottom chord live load;

8. Bottom chord dead load;

9. Concentrated loads and their points of application as applicable;

10. Controlling wind and earthquake loads as applicable;

11. Adjustments to lumber and metal connector plate design value for conditions of use;

12. Each reaction force and direction;

13. Metal connector plate type, size, thickness or gage, and the dimensioned location of each metal connector plate except where symmetrically located relative to the joint interface;

14. Lumber size, species and grade for each member;

15. Connection requirements for:

15.1. Truss to truss;

15.2. Truss ply to ply; and

15.3. Field splices.

16. Calculated deflection ratio and maximum vertical and horizontal deflection for live and total load as applicable;

17. Maximum axial tensile and compression forces in the truss members; and

18. Required permanent individual truss member bracing and method per Section 2303.4.1.5, unless a specific truss member permanent bracing plan for the roof or floor structural system is provided by a registered design professional. Where required by one of the following, each individual truss design drawing shall bear the seal and signature of the truss designer:

1. Registered design professional; or

2. Building official; or

3. Statutes of the jurisdiction in which the project is to be constructed.

Exceptions:

1. When a cover sheet/truss index sheet combined into a single cover sheet is attached to the set of truss design drawings for the project, the single sheet/truss index sheet is the only document that needs to be signed and sealed within the truss submittal package.

2. When a cover sheet and a truss index sheet are separately provided and attached to the set of truss design drawings for the project, both the cover sheet and the truss index sheet are the only documents that need to be signed and sealed within the truss submittal package.

2303.4.1.3 Truss placement diagram. The truss manufacturer shall provide a truss placement diagram that identifies the proposed location for each individually designated truss and references the corresponding truss design drawing. The truss placement diagram shall be provided as part of the truss submittal package, and with the shipment of trusses delivered to the job site. Truss placement diagrams shall not be required to bear the seal or signature of the truss designer.

Exception: When the truss placement diagram is prepared under the direct supervision of a registered design professional, it is required to be signed and sealed.

2303.4.1.4 Truss submittal package. The truss submittal package shall consist of each individual truss design drawing, the truss placement diagram for the project, the truss member permanent bracing specification and, as applicable, the cover sheet/truss index sheet.

2303.4.1.5 Truss member permanent bracing. Where permanent bracing of truss members is required on the truss design drawings, it shall be accomplished by one of the following methods:

1. The trusses shall be designed so that the buckling of any individual truss member can be resisted internally by the structure (e.g. buckling member T-bracing, L- racing, etc.) of the individual truss. The truss individual member buckling reinforcement shall be installed as shown on the truss design drawing or on supplemental truss member buckling reinforcement diagrams provided by the truss designer.

2. Permanent bracing shall be installed using standard industry bracing details that conform with generally accepted engineering practice. Individual truss member continuous lateral bracing location( s) shall be shown on the truss design drawing.

2303.4.1.6 Anchorage. All transfer of loads and anchorage of each truss to the supporting structure is the responsibility of the registered design professional.

2303.4.1.7 Alterations to trusses. Truss members and components shall not be cut, notched, drilled, spliced or otherwise altered in any way without written concurrence and approval of a registered design professional. Alterations resulting in the addition of loads to any member (e.g., HVAC equipment, water heater) shall not be permitted without verification that the truss is capable of supporting such additional loading.

2303.4.2 Metal-plate-connected trusses. In addition to Sections 2303.4.1 through 2303.4.1.7, the design, manufacture and quality assurance of metal-plate-connected wood trusses shall be in accordance with TPI 1. Manufactured trusses shall comply with Section 1704.6 as applicable.

All Rights Reserved. This 2006 International Building Code® is a copyrighted work owned by the International Code Council, Inc. Without advance written permission from the copyright owner, no part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including, without limitation, electronic, optical or mechanical means (by way of example and not limitation, photocopying, or recording by or in an information storage retrieval system). For information on permission to copy material exceeding fair use, please contact: Publications, 4051West Flossmoor Road, Country Club Hills, IL 60478-5795. Phone 1-888-ICC-SAFE (422-7233). Trademarks: “International Code Council,” the “International Code Council” logo and the “International Building Code” are trademarks of the International Code Council, Inc.