Coastal and Floodplain Construction Inspector's Practice Exam

What is the required uplift for a roof to wall connection in a house with a rafter span of 15', a deadload of 20 psi in a 140 mph wind zone?

1. 78 plf

2. 264 plf

3. 363

4. 464

The correct answer is: 363

To determine the required uplift for a roof to wall connection, it is necessary to consider both the wind load and the dead load affecting the structure. For a house in a 140 mph wind zone, the uplift forces from wind must be calculated. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) standards and the International Building Code (IBC) provide guidelines on calculating wind uplift pressures. The wind pressure increases with wind speeds and can be significantly impactful on roof designs. The uplift force is calculated using the formula that incorporates the wind load and roof area. In this case, given the specifications, engineers would calculate the wind load based on the wind speed (140 mph in this case) and the coefficients related to the roofing geometry. Additionally, the deadload (20 psi) contributes to how much force is exerted on the roof structure. It's crucial to account for both dead load and wind uplift together to ascertain the necessary uplift force at the roof to wall connection. In this scenario, the result of the calculations leads to a required uplift of 363 lbs per linear foot (plf), which aligns with the accepted engineering practices for structures exposed to substantial wind pressures. This ensures that connections are adequately designed to withstand potential uplift forces during high wind events, keeping