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INSTRUCTOR: Thomas Williamson, P.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE

Sponsored by ASCE Continuing Education and the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI).

Purpose and Background

Glued laminated timber (glulam) and cross laminated timber (CLT) are key elements of a new generation of wood construction referred to as Mass Timber. Mass timber is allowing design professionals to take wood construction to new and previously unimagined heights with 8 story, 10 story, 12 story and taller wood framed buildings being built in North America and around the world. 

Glulam has been successfully used in the U.S. for over 75 years in a wide range of commercial buildings and bridges. Many of these structures and bridges remain in service after over 50 years but engineers are generally not familiar with the design and use of glulam. In the past decade a number of innovative glulam structures have been constructed in North America including a 300-foot clear span ice rink at the 2010 Winter Olympics, the new Terminal C at the Raleigh Durham international airport, the Bullitt Center in Seattle which is the first building in the U.S. to meet the Living Building Challenge criteria and many more. And, it is a key component of mass timber construction which is breaking all boundaries for traditional wood framing.

CLT was recently introduced into North America after over 15 years of use in Europe and other countries where CLT framed buildings ranging in height from 10 to 40 stories are being successfully constructed. A number of 6 story to 18 story mass timber buildings combining glulam and CLT are currently planned or have been built in Canada and there is a widespread interest in this technology among U.S. design professionals. CLT is recognized in the 2015 International Building Code and in the 2015 National Design Specification for Wood Construction (NDS) as a new wood construction material and this webinar will introduce design professionals to the exciting new wood engineering technology of mass timber.

Mass timber (glulam and CLT) offers new and unlimited opportunities for using wood in non-residential construction, but if design professionals are going to explore the use of these technologies, they need a basic understanding of the design intricacies associated with these products to ensure that efficient, durable and structurally sound buildings are the end result.

Primary Discussion Topics

• Overview of glulam and CLT as part of the new generation of mass timber to meet any commercial building design challenge
• Review of key design considerations for glulam and CLT of primary importance to a design professional
• Development of allowable design properties for glulam and CLT and their proper application
• Overview of building code provisions for glulam and CLT
• Overview of available industry design standards for glulam and CLT and where to get more advanced design guidance
• Fire safety of glulam and CLT
• Potential for using glulam and CLT in mass timber "tall" wood structures up to 18 stories and possibly higher

Learning Outcomes

• Explain the wide variety of uses for glulam in commercial building construction and its proper design
• Discuss the newest member of the engineered wood product family, cross laminated timber (CLT)
• Describe how mass timber using glulam and CLT is being used to construct “tall” wood buildings on a worldwide basis and how this technology is being translated to potential uses in North America
• Establish how to properly specify and select glulam and CLT incorporating relevant industry standards and codes to ensure safe, efficient and durable design solutions
• Explain the unique fire resistive characteristics of glulam and CLT as it influences their use in mass timber commercial buildings
• Review the breadth of resources available to assist them in designing with glulam and CLT

Webinar Benefits

• Create awareness among designers of the unlimited possibilities for using glulam and CLT in nonresidential structures with heights up to 18 stories and potentially higher
• Assure designers that they have the latest technical information associated with the design of glulam and CLT
• Learn how the use of glulam and CLT results in sustainable (green) building construction
• Learn the intricacies of the 2015 National Design Specifications for Wood Construction (NDS) related to glulam and CLT including fire resistive design provisions
• Acquaint design professionals with key design considerations that must be considered to ensure both the structural performance and long-term durability of mass timber framed structures using glulam and CLT

Intended Audience

• Structural engineers
• Civil engineers interested in or involved the in the design of innovative wood framed structures
• Architects and other design professionals

Webinar Outline

• Present an overview of how glulam and CLT can be combined in mass timber framing and how it is being used worldwide to create a new generation of tall wood buildings
• Present an overview of what glulam is and how it has been used in unique commercial building construction in North America
• Review the design intricacies that designers must be aware to properly design glulam
• Provide an overview of what CLT is and how it is being used in commercial building construction in North America and other countries
• Review the unique design characteristics of CLT which a design professional must be aware of to properly use the product
• Discuss how design properties are developed for glulam and CLT
• Review the ANSI standards that have been developed for glulam and CLT
• Review the provisions for the design of glulam and CLT in the 2015 NDS and 2015 IBC including fire resistive design provisions
• Acquaint design professionals with the additional information resources available to them for the design of mass timber structures using glulam and CLT