Steel

DOC Outlines Steel Tariff Product Exclusion Process

March 19, 2018

Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its procedures for excluding products from the recently announced tariffs on steel and aluminum product imports.

Secs. Ross & Mnuchin Give Perspectives on Steel Tariffs

March 12, 2018

On March 8, President Trump signed two proclamations to temporarily increase tariffs on imported steel by 25 percent and aluminum by 10 percent. The new tariffs will take effect March 23, but it’s currently unclear how long they will remain in place and which countries they will ultimately be imposed upon.

Video: Administration Explains Reasons Behind Steel Tariffs

March 5, 2018

President Trump is anticipated to slap new tariffs on aluminum and steel later this week, or early next week. Some are wondering, will these be applied to everyone?

A Memorable Revival

Rebuilding a historic church after a ruinous fire was a project not to be forgotten.

DOC Steel Investigation Suggests Future Supply Constraints

February 19, 2018

While steel consumers will likely continue to take a “wait and see” attitude, the findings the DOC emphasized in their report to the president indicate there may be future trade action to protect domestic producers.  President Trump has until April 11 to act on the DOC’s recommendations.

Information On Truss Fire Issues

Question: 

I am trying to develop a guideline for my firefighters regarding initial fire attack in buildings with light-weight trusses. My concern is truss failure, especially when exposed to fire. Is there any information on failure time related to flame impingement? Any information about truss failure – especially in a fire condition would be helpful.

Fire Rating For Truss Assemblies Built With 2x3 Lumber

Question: 

Are there any published studies or guidelines on the fire rating of floor trusses built with 2x3 lumber?

Duct And Light Penetrations Of Fire Rated Assemblies

Question: 

In a small scale multi-family residential project, I'd like to use a wood truss floor-ceiling assembly to achieve a one hour separation between units. I'd like to directly attach the drywall to the underside of the trusses & use the truss space for ducts & lighting (the floor above will be lightweight concrete on plywood sub-floor). UL assemblies do not seem to address the duct/light penetrations in such an assembly. Can I achieve a one-hour rating in such an assembly and how are penetrations addressed? Can the ducts in the truss space serve both units above and below?

Heavy Timber Connectors

Question: 

I am currently undertaking a project dealing with techniques and methods of joining structural timber members. Do you have any available information on timber connections like split rings and design software?

Post Fire Retardant Treatment

Question: 

Is a Class A fire rating (provided by our liquid spray-on fire retardant) acceptable in certain situations?