huangyhg

psl column to log ridge beam connector
i have a situation where a 7x7 psl column is sitting on top of a 15 inch log wall and at the top it supports a very large (19" dia) ridge beam. the owners are very earthquake conscious and want some kind of mechanical connectors, the builder says the end gable framing should be sufficient to hold them in place. the earthquake zone was 2a under the ubc when the project was started, however the owners are familiar with the history of the area (north central cascades) and they know that in ancient times some very large earthquakes happened nearby. they are correct about that fact.
nothing in the simpson catalog looks like a good fit although hd5's could be made to work if lag bolts were driven into the logs above and below.
i am looking for suggestions about what connectors to use and also would like to know if anyone agrees with the builder that no mechanical connectors are necessary. that seems like a scary way to go but i could be wrong since log cabins don't tend to sway like framing would.
appreciate any help.
thanks
dpa

two thoughts -
1. you could look at the overall integrity of the building and find that in a seismic event, many other issues could cause collapse in addition to this one connection. so if you go out of your way to better connect this one, then why, logically, do you stop there?
2. log connections - i wouldn't totally depend on simpson. you can very easily design and fabricate almost any kind of strap, tie, or gusseted connection here to ensure that they work in a seismic event.

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