Pro Board Firefighter Practice Test 2025 – Comprehensive Exam Prep

The gusset plate is a key component in the construction of wood trusses, as it serves to connect and hold the truss members together, providing structural integrity to the entire system. Made typically from metal, gusset plates are used to reinforce the joints of the truss by being fastened to the intersecting wood members, creating a solid connection that allows for the transfer of loads throughout the structure. Their design maximizes strength while minimizing material usage, making them especially efficient in the context of truss construction.

In contrast, the fire plate is not a term commonly associated with structural trussing, while bar joists and I-beams refer to different types of steel framing members used in construction for different purposes, such as supporting floors or roofs, but they do not specifically pertain to the assembly and holding of wooden trusses. Understanding the role of the gusset plate is crucial for recognizing how trusses function and how they are engineered for stability and load-bearing capacity.