November 17, 2006, Newsletter Issue #89: Masonry Anchorage
Tip of the Week
The anchors connecting the joists to the masonry walls in older buildings are often inadequate. Joists merely resting on ledges built for their support are common. If metal anchor brackets were installed, there are usually not a sufficient number of them to resist the forces created by a quake. When a building is shaken during a quake, insufficiently reinforced joists not only fail to lend support to the walls against out-of-plane failure, but can also fall off their ledge or break free from their connection. If enough anchors fail, entire stories can fall to the levels below, not only destroying the building, but also potentially crushing poor souls inside. In order to strengthen the connections between the joists and walls, the existing brackets can be replaced with newer ones, or of no brackets are in use, they can be installed.
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