Making Code Official Connections Robert Glowinski Building officials are the gatekeepers to building construction. To approve any construction, including where wood is the principal product, they need to know a lot of information. The American Wood Council aims to make the job of building code official a little easier when it comes to knowing... Read More July 2017 Issue #10216 Page 71
All Things Wood: Anatomy of an Inherently Dangerous Deck Frank Woeste Over the period of nine days starting on June 9, 2017, five deck collapses in five states (MT, VA, OH. MI, and WI) were reported in the news media. Using the injury data from the media, the five collapses resulted in a total of 57 injuries. In one case, WAVY.com reported that, after an... Read More July 2017 Issue #10216 Page 76
All Things Wood: How to Predict a Bouncy Floor Frank Woeste Background The model International Residential Code (IRC) permits a design live load of 30 psf for “sleeping rooms.” The model codes specify 40 psf for all other rooms. Of the annoying floor vibration complaints we have received, the most common scenario stems from the use... Read More June 2017 Issue #10215 Page 68
Building Code Update: 2018 IBC to Reference ASCE 7-16 Randy Shackelford In early December, ICC posted the preliminary results of the Group B Online Governmental Consensus Vote, which included structural changes to the IBC, IEBC and IRC. ICC reports that there were more than 162,000 votes cast by eligible Voting Members during the three-week online voting... Read More May 2017 Issue #10214 Page 83
Question of the Day: Bottom Chords and Gable End Frames Stan Sias Why do some still insist on placing flat bottom chord gable end frames adjacent to vaulted or scissor trusses when the codes clearly do not allow such framing without special engineering requirements? Can you point me to the code sections that say “No, thank you!”? This is a... Read More January 2017 Issue #10210 Page 34
A Tale of Two Houses: Design Loads for Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses Kelly Sias Take two trusses with identical profiles and environmental surroundings, and they should have the same design loads, right? Early in my career, I recall hearing a story about two identical buildings right next to each other that were designed for two different magnitudes of environmental loads.... Read More January 2017 Issue #10210 Page 72
Question of the Day: Scope of Work and Responsibility Stan Sias “As a CM, how do I best convey my intended and assumed scope of work and overall responsibility to all parties involved in the construction of a project I am bidding? I don’t want to be held responsible for something I haven’t bid.” This is a terrific question and... Read More November 2016 Issue #09208 Page 4
Designing Overhangs on Gable Ends Randy Shackelford It seems that each major hurricane tends to teach those of us in the construction industry some lesson. With Hurricane Andrew, the lessons were the importance of protection from windborne debris, and the importance of proper construction of gable ends. There are two main areas where gable... Read More November 2016 Issue #09208 Page 64
Make Safety a Priority: Key Considerations for Residential Deck Design Robert Glowinski As we head into the fall, families across the country have been spending more time in the backyard, often on their porches or decks. This fact serves as a good reminder of the importance of ensuring the safety of the outdoor spaces we enjoy so much. Unfortunately, deck collapses all too often... Read More September 2016 Issue #09206 Page 42
High Wind Guides for the Hurricane Season Robert Glowinski With hurricane season underway, several regions of the United States face the threat of wind-related damage to buildings. According to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), high winds cause millions of dollars in property damage each year, with roofs representing 85 to 95... Read More July 2016 Issue #09204 Page 42