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MiTechnology is designed for greater technical visibility - to offer you the latest and most relevant of MiTek's technical information and specifications. For builders, design professionals, suppliers, building inspectors: this bulletin will keep you current and give you quick access to additional information and support documents. It will also link you to the full range of resources we offer you on our website, or through our customer support team.
Retrofit Solutions for Single Family Residences
MiTek publishes a Retrofit Guide to assist in the selection of USP connectors that work best to strengthen and reinforce existing structures. This edition of MiTeknology highlights the contents 
of this guide. 

The purpose of this structural strengthening is to help reduce damage to the structure and provide additional safety to the building occupants during typical seismic events.  

Some key things to remember when retrofitting your structure:
  • Earthquake forces act in all directions including up and down.
  • Some connection is better than no connection.
  • Best connections are designed to put fasteners in shear rather than withdrawal.
  • Ductility of the connection is as important as the strength and stiffness. Connections should retain strength after movement or shifting has occurred (No "all or nothing" connections)
  • Take a visual survey of your project to determine how much access you will have for installation of the connector. Each building and foundation type will have unique challenges and make one connector the solution for one project, but a difficult install on another project.
  • Determine how much room you will have to use the tools that you have. For example some spaces will make swinging a hammer nearly impossible, so a pneumatic palm nailer will need to be used instead.
  • Property owners of detached, single family wood frame dwellings, please refer to FEMA P-50 and P-50-1 for more information.
Connections for Retrofit Consideration
1. Sill Plate to Foundation
     a. SRC - Sill Retrofit Connector for conditions when the distance from the sill plate edge
     to the inside surface of the foundation wall is between 1/2-in and 2-1/2-in.
     b. SRCP - Sill Retrofit Connector Plate for conditions when the distance from the sill plate
     edge to the inside surface of the foundation wall is between 0-in and 1/2-in. Also allows
     sill plate to over hang foundation wall up to 1/2-in.

2. Sill Plate to Foundation
     a.  Threaded Anchor Rod - Installed with USP's CIA-GEL 7000-C. See local 
     requirements for embedment depth.

3. Wall Studs to Top Plate
     a. SPT / RSPT - Stud Plate Ties for connecting wall studs to top plates.

4. Rim Board to Top Plate / Sill Plate / Floor Joist
     a. MPA1 - Multi-Purpose Framing Angle to connect rim board directly to the top plate. 
     Provides lateral resistance in all directions and uplift resistance.

5. Post Beam Connection
     a. PB / PBS - Post Caps with 2-piece design for easy retrofit applications.

     b. PBES - Post Cap with 2-piece design for easy retrofit applications. Design to be 
     used at the end of the beam

6. Post to Foundation
     a. TDL5 - Concrete Angle to secure wood post to foundation. Use 1/2-in wedge bolt 
     to connect TDL5 to concrete.

7. Continuity Tension Straps
     a. MSTC - 3-in Wide strapping comes in a variety of lengths and installs with nails.

     b. CMST14 - 3-in Wide coiled strapping can be cut to a variety of lengths and installs 
     with nails.

8. Member to Member in-Plane Shear
     a. MP4F - Multi-Lateral Plate to transfer lateral force from one resisting element to another.



 
For more information on soft story retrofit
visit: Hardyframe.com
  

Questions? We're here to help! Contact MiTek Customer Service
Or call 800-328-5934, Monday - Friday 6:30 am to 6 pm CST.
We'd love to hear from you.