About the author ⁄ Frank E. Woeste, P.E.

Frank E. Woeste, P.E., Professor Emeritus, Virginia Tech University. Frank may be reached at fwoeste@vt.edu.

Robust Lumber Specifications on Construction Documents

It is more important than ever due to the increase in grade-marked products entering the U.S.

Registered design professionals (RDPs) typically specify in their construction documents the assumed lumber grade, moisture content, and species or species combination of the dimension lumber (2-4 inches thick) used in their design work. For example, in the materials section of the construction documents, a note might state:

…

May, 2023 By Frank E. Woeste, P.E., Don Bender, P.E., Ph.D and John “Buddy” Showalter, P.E. In Articles, Structural Specifications

Floor Design Considerations

Preventing Tile and Stone Cracks

Two kinds of designers are sometimes involved in home construction – design professionals responsible for the structure and interior-focused designers responsible for the final appearance. Although these roles can overlap, it is important for design professionals to be aware of in-service demands that will result from interior finish choices. …

Mar, 2019 By Frank E. Woeste, P.E. and Peter Nielsen In Structural Practices Comments 0

Lateral Load Path and Capacity of Exterior Decks

Safety of exterior elevated decks, balconies and porches continues to be an important national issue. Section 1604.8.3 of the 2009 International Building Code (IBC) states that decks shall be anchored to the primary structure and designed for both vertical and lateral loads. The focus of this article is to address knowledge gaps on the performance of decks subjected to lateral loading. …

Mar, 2014 By Brian J. Parsons, Donald A. Bender, P.E., J. Daniel Dolan, Robert J. Tichy and Frank E. Woeste, P.E. In Articles, Structural Forensics Comments 0

Lateral Loads Generated by Occupants on Exterior Decks

The safety of exterior elevated decks, balconies and porches is an important national issue due to numerous documented structural collapses that have resulted in serious injuries and, in some cases, deaths (Shutt 2011; Legacy Services 2010). The problem is not confined to residential construction, as decks are also popular in commercial structures. Due to larger occupancies, the stakes are even higher in commercial construction as evidenced by deck collapses in Polson, MT casino with 52 injured in 2004 and a Miami, FL sports bar with 24 injured in 2013. Engineered design has been hampered by knowledge gaps on structural loads – especially lateral loads. This information is vital for registered design professionals to create safe and efficient engineered designs for decks, porches and balconies. …

Jan, 2014 By Brian J. Parsons, Donald A. Bender, P.E., J. Daniel Dolan and Frank E. Woeste, P.E. In Articles, Structural Testing Comments 2

Post-Fire Analysis of Solid-Sawn Heavy Timber Beams

After fire exposure, design professionals are sometimes called upon to determine if the charred heavy timbers (Figure 1) are safe for future use without additional support or repairs. In this article, the authors present a sequence of reasoned steps that will help design professionals analyze charred timbers and gain the type of information needed to decide whether the charred timbers are adequate based on the applicable building code. …

Nov, 2013 By Robert H. White, Ph.D. and Frank E. Woeste, P.E. In Articles, Structural Performance Comments 0

Multiple-Bolt Wood Connection Design Topics

…

Aug, 2010 By Donald A. Bender, P.E. and Frank E. Woeste, P.E. In Articles, Structural Design

Design Responsibilities for Metal-Plate-Connected Wood Truss Building Construction

…

Aug, 2009 By Frank E. Woeste, P.E. and Donald A. Bender, P.E. In Articles, Code Updates

Residential Deck Ledger Connection Testing and Design

…

May, 2008 By David Carradine, Ph.D., Donald A. Bender, P.E., Joe Loferski, Ph.D. and Frank E. Woeste, P.E. In Articles, Lessons Learned

Tested Guardrail Post Connections for Residential Decks

…

Jul, 2007 By Joe Loferski, Ph.D., Dustin Albright and Frank E. Woeste, P.E. In Articles, Lessons Learned

Current Issue	Resource Guide