In North America, CLT and mass timber construction have garnered considerable press over the last few years, both inside the building industry and beyond. The burgeoning development has inspired new research centers and at least one annual conference — now in its eighth year and attracting scores of presenters and exhibitors and hundreds of attendees from around the world. Numerous observers are even heralding mass timber, or tall timber, as the necessary future of the fast-growing built environment.
Category: Mass Timber
What’s New with Mass Timber?
Simpson Strong-Tie’s Greg Bundy, Senior Branch Engineer in Columbus, Ohio, recently led a training webinar on mass timber advancements. The workshop covered topics like the NHERI TallWood Project and a new guide for cross-laminated timber diaphragm design. The hands-on session featured installation of innovative products for structural engineers.
Mass Timber Diaphragm Options with Four Different Connection Types — How Our LDSS48 Light Diaphragm Spline Strap Evolved
Floors and roofs on mass timber buildings are constructed from large panels of engineered wood, such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) or mass plywood. Designers join these prefabricated panels together on site to create a structural horizontal diaphragm to transfer wind and seismic loads to the vertical elements of the lateral force resisting system. Shear forces between panels must be transferred through these panel-to-panel connections. Conventional wood structural panel sheathed diaphragms have shear capacities and fastener spacing tabulated in Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (AWC SDPWS). Mass timber diaphragms, on the other hand, require some more design work by the designer.
Simpson Strong-Tie Engineer to Talk on Mass Timber Construction and Design
Simpson Strong-Tie is proud to announce that one of our product engineers, Bonnie Yang, Ph.D., P.E., CFS, has been invited to give a public lecture on mass timber connections. The date of her lecture will be March 3 at 11 a.m. PST. Yang’s lecture will be part of a Mass Timber mini-lecture series hosted by the School of Architecture at Mississippi State University in partnership with the Mississippi Forestry Association.
Mass Timber Floor Panel Systems for Mid-Rise ATS 2022
Mass timber floor panel systems for mid-rise light-frame wood construction are becoming more popular. Hybrid wood-framed systems have many advantages over conventional lumber floor systems such as 2×10/2×12 floor joist or I-joist systems.
How to Connect Mass Timber Panels with Steel Instead of Plywood
Simpson Strong-Tie has developed a faster, easier and more economical way to connect CLT and other types of panels on mass timber projects. Introducing the LDSS light diaphragm spline solution, featuring a steel spline strap that replaces traditional plywood splines.
Building an Outdoor Table with Mass Timber
Ryan Edwards eats, sleeps, drinks, and builds with mass timber. Inspired by his work with mass timber, he decided to DIY an outdoor table made from the same material he works with every day. Also, learn what mass timber is all about!
