Wood Top Plates with Tie Rods

[Mike3ddd]

I have a condition where a contractor removed wire rope used ina barn to hold/restrain the top plates. The rafter are seated on 2x6 rough cut top plates with only collar ties and spans 32'.
Does anyone have a good solution to stabilze the wall from bowing ( 2" ) with tie rods?
Details would be nice if any. I have some ideas.

 

[msquared48]

Can you post a section showing the configuration and height of the existing collar ties?

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[msquared48]

Guessing without a sketch, but ... well, outside of replacing the wire rope, there are three options I see ...

1. Double up on the rafters which should cut the deflection in half if the collar tie remains in it's current position.

2. Lower the location of the present collar tie.

3. Add a ridge beam.

I suspect that the reason for the lateral kick is that the present collar ties are high, allowing the rafters to bend, and causing the lateral deflection. You have to change this condition to solve your problem.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[msquared48]

Whatever you chose to do, unless the rafters have developed a memory, you will have to de-load the present rafters to have anything you add stress up properly. If the rafters have developed a permanent deflection, you can logically only hope to keep matters from getting worse without replacing them.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[Mike3ddd]

Thanks
I will add a detail from Autocad later. The ridge beam is not possible since under side of rafter and collar ties are covered with T&G knotty pine and insulated woth rigid insulation & batt in between. I am going to shimmy up & lay some boards in collar ties so I can walk down the lengthe of the house to inspect ridge connections.
I was thinking to strap under the eaves with C-channels and four tie rods spaced evenly in catherdral space.

Mike D.