Fixing structural framing - GIF

[Jon]

Fixing structural framing.

[Frank S]

That's an idea that looks like it would work

[IAMSatisfied]

I'm not sure what the advantage here would be... it seems to me that to have the vertical load efficiently transferred to the newly spliced in pieces below would be best served by a butt joint, as well as increase speed and ease of installation. Is there some advantage to the shown method I'm missing?

[Frank S]

I'm not sure what the advantage here would be... it seems to me that to have the vertical load efficiently transferred to the newly spliced in pieces below would be best served by a butt joint, as well as increase speed and ease of installation. Is there some advantage to the shown method I'm missing?

Ok what you are missing is if the splice and the existing member were cut perfectly horizontal the difficulty of getting the splice driven under the member aside from actually being able to raise the support member slightly is significant.
Even if you could slide the splice in squarely the only strength to the structure would be vertical unless the column and the splice were each cut to be a lap joint as the splice was. Adding a slight compound angle to the 2 points of contact both lower and upper the splice can be tapped in place adding additional upwards pressure on the column. Of course this could have been done with a wedge driven under the bottom of the splice to cause upward force as well.
One other thing the compound angle does the way it was cut strengthens the joint from the forces of the wall trying to push against the splice by forming a lock.
If they used an adhesive in the final assembly this would also help to form a much stronger bond than a square cut joint.
Complicates and time consuming. Yes but there are many advantages of doing it this way over a simple square lap splice.