In the maintenance of existing buildings it is important to evaluate different aspects of the constructions, in this article we want to focus on one of them structural components which results more exposed to stresses And atmospheric agents: the truss.
The wooden trusses are crucial elements for safetyas they are the structural components that support the roof and which must transfer the loads adequately to the building below.
They require attention over time, as they are living elements. They can suffer degradations, stresses And you dissed which put the stability of the coverage at risk. Critical issues can evolve slowly or remain dormant for years, suddenly activating when the structure is stressed by external factors, such as seismic actions, snowfall or even just strong winds.
Ignoring failures can compromise the stability of the trusses, leading to failures of the roof and, in some cases, even of the entire building.
How to understand if the truss is safe?
To understand if the truss remains stable over time, the first step is to carry out some visual inspections. The inspection allows us to identify warning signs and warning signs in advance, to be carefully evaluated.
Do preventive inspections on the trusses it is already a form of maintenance. It allows you to gain awareness of your state of health, know situations to keep under control, and be able to plan any interventions before damage occurs.
The Manual for the inspection of wooden trusses
To guide technicians in evaluating the trusses, the Wooden Trusses Inspection Manual: a free guide with example photos and operational suggestions for carrying out inspections of trusses.
The manual is designed to accompany you through each phase of the analysis, thus facilitating the knowledge of the trusses and theinterpretation of any critical signals. A support to make a first evaluation of the trusses independently and able recognize the indicators most relevant to their safety.
Main contents of the Manual for the inspection of wooden trusses:
- what to know before an inspection of the trusses;
- where to start an inspection;
- the signs of failure: how to recognize them;
- defects and degradation of the wood;
- replace or consolidate: how to keep trusses safe.
How to recognize the signs of criticality
The heart of the manual is linked to the reading of alarm bells that can be found in the field and that help recognize stability problems of the trusses. This aspect is very important for the preventive maintenance of a building, because recognizing the alarm bells is possible defuse risk situations preventively.
In particular, it focuses on structural vulnerabilities most widespread and the related alarm bells:
- pushing trusses problem;
- risk of trusses overturning;
- critical issues in the supports;
- critical issues in the nodes;
- monk misalignment.
The manual describes each of these issues and reports several examples, photographs And descriptions of signs to pay attention to. There is also a chapter dedicated to aspects non-structural to be considered in the inspection, so it includes a section on evaluation of the state of conservation of the wood and closes with the aspects to be examined in order to choose how to resolve any problems encountered.
The manual’s invitation is to give the right weight to the evaluation of the trusses within the maintenance of buildings, remembering that with an inspection you can pick up important signs for the knowledge and safety of the structures on which one operates.
The manual is a support created by Sicurtecto Srla company that has been involved in building safety for over 35 years, and which has a team dedicated to the conservation of wooden trusses. The manual is part of the information activities promoted by Sicurtecto in favor of prevention and knowledge of trusses. Furthermore, Sicurtecto Srl also deals with actual interventions to protect wooden trusses and has patented the conservative consolidation Resistecto.
For more information
sicurtecto.it
