Tall Mass Timber: Code Developments and Differential Material Movement

Exploring Tall Wood: New Code Provisions for Tall Timber Structures

As interest in and use of mass timber in the U.S. has grown, so too has interest in pushing these timber structures to greater heights. Using international examples of successful tall wood buildings as precedent, some designers have proposed tall wood projects in the states using a project-specific performance-based design approach. In order to provide a uniform set of code provisions for these tall wood buildings, the International Code Council established an ad hoc committee on tall wood buildings that proposed a set of code changes allowing up to 18 stories of mass timber construction. Those code changes were announced as approved in January 2019 and will become part of the 2021 International Building Code. Following a brief discussion of history and motivators, this presentation will introduce the new tall wood code provisions and construction types, as well as the technical research and testing that supported their adoption.

Differential Material Movement in Tall Mass Timber Structures

As the height of mass timber buildings continues to grow, so too does the level of design and detailing knowledge required to achieve optimal building construction and performance. One necessary consideration for tall mass timber buildings is vertical movement—including column shrinkage, joint settlement and creep. The main concerns are potential impacts on vertical mechanical systems, exterior enclosures, and interior partitions, as well as differential vertical movement of the timber framing systems relative to building elements such as concrete core walls and exterior facades. This presentation will analyze reasons for vertical movement (short and long term), provide methods of calculating anticipated movement, highlight detailing options to minimize and accommodate movement, and discuss strategies implemented on tall mass timber projects completed in North America.

After the seminar, join us for Q&A and lunch.

Speaker: Patrick Duffy, PE | WoodWorks

Credits: Attendees can earn 2.0 AIA/CES HSW LUs, 2.0 PDH credits or 0.2 ICC credits

Location:

Hilton Garden Inn Boston/Waltham

450 Totten Pond Rd

Waltham MA 02451

Free on-site parking

For questions or additional information, please contact:

LeeAnn Charpentier, CMP | bGVlYW5uICEgY2hhcnBlbnRpZXIgfCB3b29kd29ya3MgISBvcmc= | (301) 633-0330

Image: 111 East Grand / Neumann Monson Architects / Raker Rhodes Engineering / StructureCraft / Photo Mike Sinclair

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