Structural Design of Wood Structures
April 16-17, 2025
Inn at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
Who Should Attend?
The audience for this course is professional engineers, residential designers, wood truss designers and component manufacturers, engineered wood product (EWP) designers, connector and fastener suppliers, general contractors, homebuilders, home inspectors, building code officials, plan reviewers and inspectors.
Overview of Course Content
Five instructors will address twelve topics on: engineering ethics, ASCE 7-22 snow and wind load design procedures, shear wall design methods, deflection considerations in wood-framed floor design, permanent truss bracing and responsibilities, allowable truss connector values and field inspection, miscellaneous truss loading and installation conditions, design and installation of multi-ply and EWP beams and columns, trimmable floor truss benefits and applications, and inspection of wood decks in-service.
Continuing Education Credit
Participants will earn continuing education credit (15-hours or 1.5 CEUs) and a certificate upon completion of the course.
The topics and instructor follow:
Engineering Ethics by Joseph Marion Allen, P.E.
This discussion will include the source of authority that the U.S. states have to regulate learned professions such as engineering and common powers of Engineering Boards. Codes of Professional Responsibility will be mentioned broadly and the Ethical Canons of a representative state Code will be reviewed individually. Distinctions shall be drawn between matters that are legal, ethical and moral. Discussion will be had about an anticipated future design requirement for “Person Loads” on Wooden Roof Trusses.
ASCE 7-22 Snow Load Design Procedures by Buddy Showalter, P.E.
This webinar covers the determination of flat roof snow loads, sloped roof snow loads, unbalanced roof snow loads, and snow drift loads. The 2024 International Building Code® (IBC®) and the IBC-referenced 2022 ASCE/SEI 7 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7-22) will be the basis for these provisions. An overview of each topic along with changes that have occurred to the 2024 IBC and ASCE 7-22 will be provided along with examples to show their application.
Risk Category III Ground Snow Load Map – 2024 IBC. Courtesy International Code Council.
ASCE 7-22 Wind Load Design Procedures by Buddy Showalter, P.E.
This webinar covers design requirements for wind and tornado loads. The discussion will include how to determine wind and tornado pressures on main wind force resisting systems and components and cladding of buildings. The 2024 International Building Code® (IBC®) and the IBC-referenced 2022 ASCE/SEI 7 Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7-22) will be the basis for these provisions. An overview of each topic along with changes that have occurred to the 2024 IBC and ASCE 7-22 will be provided along with examples to show their application.
Design for tornado loads is now required for Risk Category III and IV structures in certain areas.
Deck Inspection--Focusing on Life Safety Issues by Frank Woeste, P.E.
While an existing deck inspection should be completed with respect to deficiencies in design and condition of materials and connections, an emphasis should be placed on conditions that are most likely to cause or contribute to an occupant injury event. Deck connections and elements will be ranked by risk exposure due to deficiencies and ideas for inspecting the same will be presented. As examples, deck guards and ledgers are critical to life safety. Engineers, property managers, home inspectors and homeowners can benefit from the discussion by bringing focus to deck details that are most important for safety.
Half-inch bolt used for guard post connection after 13-years in-service.
Deflection Considerations in Residential Wood-Framed Floor Design by Drexel Hermann, P.E.
Typical span tables are based on live-load deflection and structural strength, and as such, may not prevent performance issues such as occupant sensitivity to related noises or vibrations and other floor system issues. The live-load design criteria, system effects, and construction details that can affect floor performance will be reviewed. Performance issues in the field, including differential deflection, will be explored and possible solutions will be presented.
Permanent Truss Bracing and Responsibilities by Marvin Strzyzewski, P.E.
I-Code design responsibilities when working with metal-plate-connected wood trusses, ways to optimize bracing and installation, and the Truss Plate Institute’s new design standard, DSB-2022, will be reviewed. Also, the methodology given in DSB-2022, and the redesign/layout of the Structural Building Components Association’s (SBCA) Building Component Safety Information document (BCSI) will be presented.
Shear Wall Design Methods by Buddy Showalter, P.E.
Two AWC standards utilized throughout the nation for a code compliant design of wood shear walls are 2024 Wood Frame Construction Manual (WFCM) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings and 2021 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS). The WFCM contains both a prescriptive and engineering design approach. Although the prescriptive design will tend to provide more conservative results than the more efficient engineered design, designers may arrive more readily at a solution. This seminar includes examples of seismic and wind shear wall designs for segmented and perforated shear walls, utilizing the WFCM and the SDPWS along with a comparison of the results.
2021 SDPWS and 2024 WFCM include segmented and perforated shear wall design provisions for wind and seismic loads. Courtesy American Wood Council.
Connector Plate Allowable and Truss Inspection by Marvin Strzyzewski, P.E.
The objectives of this unit is to review the codes and standards used in obtaining the connector plate values, interpret information found within an ESR report for metal-connector plates, become familiar with the quality control procedures followed with metal-plate-connected wood truss fabrication, and to know what to look for during field inspections.
Miscellaneous Truss Loading Conditions and Installation Conditions by Marvin Strzyzewski, P.E.
Discuss various framing and loading conditions requiring extra attention, including gable end walls, conventional valley set framing, piggyback framing, solar panels, and other particular cases.
Trimmable Floor Trusses – Benefits, Applications, Typical Spans and Loading by Joseph Marion Allen, P.E.
A history of development of the TrimJoist product, applications and benefits, availability, materials and manufacturing, typical maximum spans, depths, and live loads, and applicable design standards for building code recognition will be presented. Available information for the proper handling and installation of the trusses will be reviewed. In addition, ideas to enhance floor performance to accommodate hard surfaces and concentrated loads (such as a heavy kitchen island) and mitigate the potential for annoying floor vibrations will be discussed. Examples of common repairs will be discussed.
Design and Installation of Multiple-Ply and EWP Beams and Columns by Drexel Hermann, P.E.
Primarily due to lateral stability provisions, field-built headers and columns require substantially more structural design considerations and connection detailing than what is required for solid sections of EWP beams and columns. Tests results, design load capacities, and details for different construction applications of field-built beams and columns versus solid-section beams and columns will be presented. In addition, beam and column bearing conditions and the impact of an eccentric or concentric loaded column will be discussed.
For More Information
For more specific information on course content, please contact Dr. Frank Woeste at (540) 951-0469, or e-mail: fwoeste@vt.edu.