Can the RICON S VS and GIGANT Systems Resist Uplift Forces?

MTC Solutions beam hanger systems are complete pre-engineered solutions available in a variety of capacities to meet the needs of any building project. These beam hanger systems are commonly used in post-to-beam and beam-to-girder connections to support gravity loads.  However, in some applications, these connections may be required to resist uplift forces and these beam hangers are equipped to do this using various systems. This blog post will outline the different solutions that exist to help in these   situations.

Approximately 8-minute read.

 

The Beam Hanger Systems 

The MTC Solutions GIGANT and RICON S VS beam hangers are pre-engineered connection systems consisting of male and female-oriented plates that slide together, designed primarily to resist gravity loads. Pre-installed in a controlled shop environment and delivered on-site, these connectors are ready to be simply lowered into place during construction, offering a simple drop-in assembly and an efficient workflow during installation. To learn more about MTC beam hangers, their different applications and configuration possibilities, read our related blog post on the subject.

Due to this simple design, the beam hanger plates simply fit together, but offer no uplift resistance. In most building connection applications, uplift forces can be resisted simply by the weight of the floor system above, or of the beam itself, but in some cases, like during construction or in regions with particularly high wind loads, another solution may be required. The GIGANT and RICON S VS beam hanger systems offer two solutions, the Clip Lock system, and the usage of additional toe screws.

 

The Clip Lock Systems

The clip lock systems are additional components available for both the RICON S VS and GIGANT beam hanger systems. The clip locks are special thin steel plates designed to fit into and lock the GIGANT and RICON S VS beam hanger plates together, producing a certain resistance to uplift forces. As the beam is lowered into place, the clip locks will automatically engage the screw heads on the opposite plate, preventing displacement against the slide-in direction. These components are installed using the same screws used to fasten the beam hanger plates into the wood member.

The GIGANT clip lock is zinc galvanized and can support uplift loads of up to 1,160 lbs ASD lbs for usage in the United States and 8.6 kN LSD in Canada [short term loading for both]. The GIGANT clip lock is installed on the primary member beam hanger plate and must be in place prior to installing the beam hanger’s regular self-tapping screws. Using the GIGANT clip lock will not change the connector’s screw pattern.

 

The RICON S VS has two models of clip locks, the S60 and S80, depending on the beam hanger series they are designed for (either the 60 series or 80 series respectively). Both the S60 and S80 are made from stainless steel and can support uplift loads of up to 1,740 lbs ASD for usage in the United States and 12.7 kN LSD in Canada [short term loading for both].

The RICON S VS clip lock is installed on the primary member beam hanger plate and must be in place prior to installing the beam hanger’s regular self-tapping screws. Using the RICON S VS clip lock will require a slight modification of the connector’s screw pattern, hence reducing the beam hanger’s overall allowable load (in the USA) and factored resistance (in Canada). For more information on this detail, please read page 53 of the MTC Beam Hanger Design Guide.

 

Fully Threaded Toe Screws

Another very simple solution to resisting uplift forces is using fully threaded VG CYL self-tapping screws. After dropping the GIGANT or RICON S VS beam hanger into place, a recommended minimum of two fully threaded VG CYL screws penetrating from the secondary member into the primary member are installed at 45 degrees at the top of the connection. Any uplift loads will be resisted by the withdrawal capacity of the fully threaded screws ensuring the beam stays in place.

 

Solutions Combination?

Due to a difference in stiffness, the capacity of the Clip Lock solution would not be additive with that of fully threaded toe screws for uplift. The toe screws are intended to keep the primary & secondary wood members in place and would prevent any slip from initially engaging the clip lock.

 

MTC Solutions offers a series of simple options solve uplift design challenges using the Beam Hangers. For more information on these products, download our Beam Hanger Design Guide, which provides further detailed instructions and considerations for when designing with MTC Solutions beam hangers and will further explain the solutions mentioned in this blog post.

If you have any questions, contact our Technical Support Team 🙂