The seminar is a good mix of design and forensic. The integration of forensic examples was very informative. James Nickoli, SEA, Ltd., Columbus, OH

But who can answer a practical question about a difficult roof design or about the best method of strengthening an old building? Who can help avoid pitfalls in designing wood framing? Who can tell whether an existing building can be economically upgraded to todays code requirements or whether it best be replaced? This seminar provides practical answers to a multitude of questions related to design and renovation of wood-framed structures. The discussion is focused on buildings, although much of the material applies to other wood structures as well.

The first day of the seminar is devoted to design and construction of wood framing components: joists, rafters, columns, studs, connections, trusses, and engineered lumber. Drawing on decades of consulting and forensic experience, the instructor presents many proven design details and gives some others a critical look. The discussion includes framing for difficult roof configurations, rafters with collar ties, truss bracing requirements, and many other practical issues. The relevant provisions of the current International Building Code and AF&PA National Design Specification® for Wood Construction are examined. These documents have undergone many changes in recent years, and some of their newest requirements may not be familiar to all. Several step-by-step design examples help illustrate a realistic design process. The challenging topic of design for lateral loading completes the first part of the seminar.

The second day is largely devoted to the challenge of wood renovation. As more and more timber-framed buildings are being renovated rather than demolished, the design professionals find that reliable data on the topic of their renovation is difficult to find. To meet this demand, the seminar provides the participants with the broadest possible overview of practical challenges that commonly arise during renovation of wood structures. It includes the topics of code review, old design and construction practices, repair, strengthening, and retrofit for wind and seismic loads. After an overview of common wood defects and deterioration scenarios, the instructor discusses various renovation techniques and illustrates them with design examples and case studies. Particular attention is given to repair and strengthening of wood trusses, a common source of framing problems. The opportunity of asking questions exists throughout the whole seminar as well as at the conclusion.

• Learn to design various wood structural elements (joists, rafters, beams, columns) and their connections as well as specify wood trusses and engineered lumber
• Become familiar with wood design provisions of AF&PA National Design Specification® for Wood Construction and the International Building Code
• Study economical methods of framing roofs with complex configurations and examine proven design details for these roofs
• Discover the available reference material and software for designing wood members quickly and accurately
• Discuss the pitfalls of improper use of collar ties in gable roofs
• Discover the importance of a single detail at the edge of the roof that can greatly improve the lateral-load resistance of the building and find out which part of the gable wall is often built incorrectly, greatly weakening the buildings wind resistance
• Learn how to brace wood trusses during construction and who is responsible for the bracing design
• Find out where not to place engineered lumber
• Study the common problems of existing wood trusses and practical methods of truss reinforcement and repair
• Discuss the early practices of timber construction and how to estimate the allowable stresses in existing wood; learn how load testing can help establish load-carrying capacity of wood framing of unknown species and study the available methods of investigating structural condition of wood members
• Explore various methods of strengthening wood-framed floors and roofs
• Learn how to stabilize wood members with natural and man-made defects; study the differences between splits, shakes, and checks; find out which of these wood defects should be repaired and which might not be significant
• Discuss the methods of repairing sagging roofs, rotted beam ends, split heavy timbers, and many other common areas of timber damage
• Find out when an upgrade for wind and seismic loading is needed and which cost-effective techniques for lateral-load retrofit are available

Upon completion of this seminar, you will be able to:

• Identify four primary limit states used in the design of wood beams and joists
• Learn the values of the load duration factors used for dead, live, snow, and wind loading
• Become familiar with four typical causes of failure in wood trusses
• Comprehend the main reason for the decrease in the referenced design values for bending that took place since the 1950sIdentify four primary limit states used in the design of wood beams and joists

Students achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed through a series of problem-solving design exercises, class discussion following the presentation of each major topic, and through short case studies.Students achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed through a series of problem-solving design exercises, class discussion following the presentation of each major topic, and through short case studies.

Structural and civil engineers, architects, facility managers, building officials, and competent contractors seeking to broaden their knowledge of wood design, construction, and renovation methods. Despite the technical topic, those who are not engineers will not be overwhelmed because the instruction is kept enjoyable and easy to follow.

Time: 8:30am 4:30pm

DAY 1

• Introduction
• Two main wood design philosophies
• Some provisions of AF&PA National Design Specification® for Wood Construction and the International Building Code
• Design of beams and joists made of sawn and engineered lumber
• Design of columns and wall studs
• Design of connections
• Framing for roofs with difficult configurations
• Wood trusses
• Treated lumber
• Wood shrinkage
• Design for lateral loads: wood diaphragms and shear walls

DAY 2

• General renovation issues
• Investigating existing conditions
• Early design and construction practices
• Repair of wood structures
• Strengthening wood structures
• Renovating trusses
• Wind and seismic retrofit of wood-framed buildings
• Sources of additional information and conclusion

Discounted hotel rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. See discount deadline and rates below.