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Resources for the Retrofit, Repair, Addition and Change of Occupancy of Existing URM Buildings

The following products, resources, and references offer potential solutions for a successful URM building retrofit or repair. A URM building retrofit or repair can reduce the damage experienced from a seismic or wind event and can go a long way to increase the building’s performance, leading to reduced risk to life, repair or replacement costs and down time for these often historic structures.

Retrofit and Repair Products

Joist Hangers

AT-XP® is a fast-cure, all-weather, high-strength anchoring adhesive and may be used to anchor threaded steel rods or deformed steel reinforcing bars in unreinforced masonry.

AT-XP High-Strength Adhesive
ET-HP Epoxy Adhesive

SET-XP® is a high-strength anchoring adhesive and may be used to anchor threaded steel rods or deformed steel reinforcing bars in unreinforced masonry.

SET-XP High-Strength Epoxy Adhesive
ET-HP Epoxy Adhesive

ET-HP® is an epoxy-based system for use as a high-strength, non-shrink anchor-grouting material and may be used to anchor threaded steel rods or deformed steel reinforcing bars in unreinforced masonry.

ET-HP Epoxy Adhesive
Steel Adhesive-Anchoring Screen Tubes

Screen tubes are used in hollow base material applications to contain adhesive around the anchor and prevent it from running into voids.

Steel Adhesive-Anchoring Screen Tubes

There are a variety of mechanical anchor solutions that may be used in cracked and uncracked concrete, as well as uncracked masonry to resist seismic or wind forces or help create gravity resisting connections.

Mechanical Anchors

The Heli-Tie helical wall tie is a stainless-steel tie used to anchor building façades to structural members or to stabilize brick walls. The Heli-Tie helical stitching tie provides a unique solution to the preservation and repair of damaged brick and masonry structures.

Helical Wall and Stitching Ties
FX-263 Repair Mortar

FX-263 Rapid-Hardening Vertical/Overhead Repair Mortar is a cementitious, single-component, fiber-reinforced, polymer-modified, silica fume-enhanced, structural repair mortar with integral corrosion inhibitor designed for vertical and overhead applications.

FX-263 Repair Mortar

There are a number of epoxy solutions that may be used to repair structural concrete and masonry that cover a wide range of crack widths and applications.

Structural Epoxy Repair

Composite Strengthening Systems (CSS) provide efficient solutions for the structural reinforcement and retrofit of aging, damaged or overloaded masonry structures.

Composite Strengthening Systems
Holddowns

Holdowns are often used to resist out of plane forces, tying the wall to the roof or floor assembly. The HTT5-3/4 holdown uses a 3/4" diameter anchor bolt, which is typically required when anchoring into URM.

Holdowns
Joist Hangers

In retrofit applications, joist hangers might be used to support added blocking or might be installed horizontally to help resist out of plane anchorage forces in addition to their typical download and uplift load applications.

Joist Hangers
Retrofit Plates

Retrofit and bearing plates are often used in out of plane wall to roof or wall to floor anchorage conditions and utilize a larger bearing surface on the side of an unreinforced masonry wall.

Retrofit and Bearing Plates
Strong-Drive Screws

Straps may be used to resist out of plane wall to roof or wall to floor anchorage forces or drag forces when installed on the top or bottom of roof or floor framing. One out of plane force-resisting solution uses the MSTD Marriage Strap, an overlapping in-line splice between an HTT tension tie and a CMSTC16 coiled strap.

Straps
Strong-Drive Screws

Angles transfer shear forces for wood to wood framing connections. The A35 with 1/2" long screws might be used to transfer shear forces from 1/2" minimum thickness sheathing to wood framing connections.

Angles
Strong-Drive Screws

Hand-drive or collated screws may be used to enhance wood diaphragm strength. Strong-Drive structural wood screws may be used for connector or steel to wood connections.

Screws

The Yield-Link® special moment frame connection provide optimal moment transfer solutions for both new and retrofit projects. Our Yield-Link structural fuse technology ensures the resilience of the frame during seismic events.

Yield-Link Special Moment Frame

There are a variety of innovative cold-formed steel solutions available for retrofit project connections, including clips and bridging connectors.

CFS Clips and Bridging Connectors
Strong-Drive Screws

Hand-Drive or collated nails may be used to enhance wood diaphragm shear strength or for wood to wood or steel to wood connections.

Nails

Literature and Software

Literature for Download

The referenced literature provides information on potential URM building retrofit and repair conditions and solutions, including case studies.

Literature for Download
Desktop Software and Web Apps

Simpson’s software, literature library, and web app tools are a great resource for registered design professionals designing retrofits.

Desktop Software and Web Apps

More URM Building Retrofit Resources