The wood products industry wants to expand its market share in non-residential buildings. This is a challenging goal because building codes exhibit a bias against the use of wood products, particularly in the construction of non-residential buildings. The move towards adoption of performance-based building codes offers the promise of eliminating such biases. However, in order to be prepared for the introduction of performance-based codes, architects, engineers and building code officials have pointed out the need for engineering tools to assess the fire performance of buildings.
This five-year project was initiated to develop fire-safety design tools for non-residential wood-frame buildings, and to foster development and delivery of educational programs to train students and practitioners in performance-based fire-safety design. In order to achieve these goals an NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Fire Safety Engineering was established at Carleton University in March of 2001. This report summarises the progress towards these goals made by the Chair in his first year of tenure.
Lumber trusses are an essential part of residential and other light frame building construction. The use of metal plate connectors has been an accepted form of connecting wood members to build up the trusses for these constructions. Wood trusses are a potentially viable application for fingerjoined structural lumber. However, little information is available on the strength of the fingerjoined member when truss plates are applied on or in the vicinity of a fingerjoint. This project deals with issues that may arise from the use of fingerjoined lumber in metal plate-connected truss applications aimed at optimizing the use of wood to meet end-user expectations in terms of structural performance. To meet the objective, a phased approach was taken involving representatives from both the lumber producing and wood truss industries. Phases included: (i) creation of an Industry Working Group (IWG) to discuss the issues that may arise from the widespread use of fingerjoined lumber in truss applications and identify relevant studies, (ii) carrying out the identified priority studies, (iii) and identification of issues that would need additional research. The IWG was composed of 12 members representing truss fabricators, truss plate manufacturers, and lumber producers. The industrial partners in the project are Canadian Forest Products Ltd., Jager Building Systems, Inc., and Weyerhaeuser Canada Ltd. The members of the IWG convened last year, and discussed potential research items for the project. As a result of the meeting, two basic studies were identified as priorities, namely: (i) effect of fingerjoint offset on truss plate capacity, and (ii) effect of truss plate over-pressing on plate capacity. These two studies have been completed and results are reported.
This Interim Report of the research project "Improved prediction of seismic resistance of Part 9 Houses" under the CMHC External Research Program presents a detailed literature review of research relevant to lateral resistance of conventional wood-frame construction and an assessment of three mechanics-based methods for calculating lateral capacity.
The relative performance of the three mechanics-based methods is ascertained by comparing the test data of lateral capacities of partially restrained wall specimens having window openings with the predicted results from the calculation methods. Method 1 by Ni and Karacabeyli (2000, 2002) is the simplest to use and gave the most conservative results; Method 2 by Källsner et al., (2001, 2002) is less conservative but more complicated, and Method 3 by Källsner and Gurhammar (2005, 2006) gives non-conservative results.
In the next phase of the project, these mechanics-based methods will be further calibrated against pertinent shake table results from the recent UBC "Earthquake 99" project and from the Forintek – Tongji University tests of conventional wood-frame construction. They will then be employed in the determination of the seismic response of houses as prescribed by the seismic part of the Engineering Guide for Wood Frame Construction published by the Canadian Wood Council.
Support industry to expand its markets for wood and wood products by providing designers and specifiers with design provisions and practical design solutions for wood-based lateral load resisting systems in engineered wood construction. This four-year project will address two main issues:
Develop and compile the fundamental information needed to establish a Lateral Load Resisting Systems Design Section in CSA O86, which will be consistent with the 2005 edition of the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC 2005).
Develop and compile the information needed to link the new Lateral Load Resisting Systems Design Section in CSA O86 with the Fastenings Section in terms of connection behaviour required to satisfy the specified system response to lateral loading.
This project aims to capitalize on seismic and wind performance of wood frame construction under extreme wind and earthquake loads and make incremental improvements in wind and seismic design procedures. This year seismic work focused on laboratory testing to evaluate the corner wall and upper storeys on the lateral load capacities of braced walls, and the development of a mechanics-based model to accurately predict the lateral load capacities of braced walls with openings. Wind research work focused on the test house in Fredericton, NB and related activities on modelling.
Wind loads
Earthquakes - Effect on building construction
Building construction - Design
Wood - Construction Materials - Environmental Aspects
Wood design standards in Canada and the United States provide design values for floor and roof diaphragms with sheathing thickness ranging from 9.5 mm (3/8 in) up to 18.5 mm (3/4 in), that are supported by joists spaced less than 610 mm (24 in) on centre. This range of sheathing thicknesses is adequate for housing and small buildings, but for large non-residential structures, diaphragms with thicker sheathing and wider joist spacing may be more appropriate.
This paper includes the findings of a study aimed at providing research information suitable for implementing design values for diaphragms with thick sheathing in the North American wood design standards. Results from quasi-static monotonic tests on fifteen full-scale 7.3 m (24 ft) long by 2.4 m (8 ft) wide diaphragms framed with 38x191 mm or 38x235 mm (nominal 2x8 and 2x10, respectively) solid sawn lumber or laminated strand lumber and sheathed with plywood or oriented strand board are discussed.
A numerical model was developed using the finite element method. The basic properties of the sheathing, framing members and nailed connections were implemented in the model to replicate the structural behaviour of the diaphragms with thick panels. The numerical model was successfully validated against the experimental data. The shear resistance values for the diaphragms with thick panels tested in this study were calculated. The model may be used to interpolate between various diaphragm configurations and calculate shear resistance values for other configurations of diaphragms with thick sheathing.
In the long run, it is hoped that the use of thicker sheathing will enable the use of structural systems that are cost effective for wider joist or beam spacing than systems made with dimension lumber and traditional sheathing thickness. The experimental data and the model developed in this project will be used to develop proposals for implementation of wood floor and roof diaphragms with thick panels in the Canadian and United States wood design standards.
Transformative Technologies - Federal Initiative Final Report 2007/08
W-2565
Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
Language
English
Abstract
"Creating value via innovation". That principle is at the core of FPInnovations' value proposition. This report acknowledges that and takes a multi tier approach to better understand the innovation process and it is divided into three levels: manufacturer, R&D, and user. A careful reading of FPInnovations' vision and mission reveals that the consolidation has brought change and challenge, taking the organization beyond research and assuming a protagonist role as an integrator of the innovation efforts carried out by its members, the R&D community and its own staff (Research Program 2008/2009). Accomplishing such demanding goals will demand acquiring and mastering a number of tools, management practices and knowledge base that this report has tried to examine. It also recognizes the role that the external environment plays and therefore it includes sections looking at industry structure considerations, cooperation networks and such. From an internal point of view, the report outlines some guidelines meant to serve as an aide in the operationalization of the mission and vision set for FPInnovations by our board.
The merger and new guidelines have added a new innovation component to the Divisions' successful record of value creation for their members. This new component is a much needed response to the challenging times the industry is going through. FPInnovations recognizes the value proposition of innovation while also acknowledging the merits of best practices for those companies favouring a more traditional approach to doing business.
