AWC received ANSI approval of its 2024 Fire Design Specification for Wood Construction (FDS) as an American National Standard (ANS). The new standard, designated as ANSI/AWC FDS-2024, brings together provisions for the fire design of wood members, assemblies, and connections to meet code requirements. This presentation will discuss existing wood design provisions currently in building codes, wood design standards, and numerous design aids that have been incorporated into the new standard. It will also provide information on new calculation procedures to address the added fire resistance and thermal benefits of protection provided by use of wood cover, gypsum panel products, and insulation.
By the end of the course, you should be able to do the following:
- Explore the history behind the development and use of the Fire Design Specification (FDS) and the impact it has on the safety of building occupants.
- Identify how the FDS can be used to demonstrate compliance with fire safety requirements to ensure occupant safety.
- Examine the content of the FDS and the important role it has on fire design safety for building occupants of mass timber structures.
- Examine fire protection for connections between fire-resistance-rated wood members.