Course catalog

Mass timber construction has experienced tremendous growth in the US over the past decade, and California is no exception. Now with expanded code provisions for mass timber buildings in the July 2021 California Building Code (CBC) updates, the construction of tall mass timber structures up to 18 ...

The Wood Frame Construction Manual (WFCM) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings (ANSI/AWC WFCM-2015) is referenced in the 2015 International Building Code and 2015 International Residential Code. For WFCM load calculations, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7-10) is used. ...

Building codes stipulate minimum performance requirements regarding noise transmission through common interior walls and floor/ceiling assemblies that separate a dwelling unit from either a public area or an adjacent dwelling unit. In the 2018 International Building Code (IBC), two parameters are...

Adhesive bonding of wood laminations allows for the manufacture of large wood members. Adhesives used for this purpose must meet specified levels of resistance to heat at elevated temperatures. This performance is determined through testing. Code-referenced standards currently require such ...

Even before cross-laminated timber (CLT) was recognized in the 2015 IBC, there was growing interest to use it in the US by designers seeking a sustainable construction product, with a reduced on-site construction time, all while exploiting the natural beauty of wood to provide a pleasing ...

This presentation will explore common challenges and solutions for gravity framing structural design of light-frame multi-story buildings. With the proliferation of wood construction for four, five and even six-story multi-family and mixed-use buildings, more project teams are facing the design ...

Concealed spaces—e.g., dropped ceilings or soffits—are common in light wood-frame and mass timber buildings. However, equally common are misunderstandings as to what requirements exist for their fire protection. Do all concealed spaces with combustible materials require sprinkler protection, ...

New provisions for Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) shear wall design are included in the 2021 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (2021 SDPWS), the culmination of many years of research and testing. This program will present a design example for a CLT shear wall, including panel capacity,...

Due to COVID-19, construction sites are being shut down all over the country. Abandoned and unprotected construction sites pose a risk to the community. During this shutdown it is the goal of the fire service that builders leave their construction site as reasonably fire safe as possible. This ...