Designing New Methods of Lifting and Installing Mass Timber Members

This research project explored how reimagining conventional connection hardware could enable more efficient assembly and disassembly of mass timber structures. The team conducted a comprehensive review of commercially available hardware from the three leading manufacturers—Simpson Strong-Tie, Rothoblaas, and MTC Solutions. Each product was systematically categorized by functional role (lifting, plumbing, and connecting to other members), allowing the team to map the landscape of existing solutions and identify gaps in available product offerings. The hardware selected for redesign was conventional mass timber braces to plumb columns and walls. Originally designed for stick-framed and tilt-up concrete walls, these braces rely on screws to mechanically fasten each end to the floor and vertical member. This impacts the aesthetic quality of the mass timber member, and requires repairs using wood dowels or putty. The newly designed hardware retains the conventional turnbuckle diagonal member but reimagines its connection to the structural element. Instead of screws, it utilizes a single hole at the top of the vertical member. A wedge expander—an idea borrowed from older bike models—is inserted into this hole, compressing against the interior walls. This deformation is non-visible and repeatable, preserving the integrity of the structural members. Future work will focus on further integrating this bracing system with new hardware for lifting glulam columns and cross-laminated timber wall panels.