The Wood Frame Construction Manual (WFCM) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings was updated and is designated ANSI/AWC WFCM-2012 (Figure 1). The 2012 WFCM was developed by the American Wood Council’s (AWC) Wood Design Standards Committee and is referenced in the 2012 International Residential Code (IRC) and 2012 International Building Code (IBC). …
Author Archives : John “Buddy” Showalter, P.E.
John “Buddy” Showalter is a Senior Staff Engineer with the International Code Council (bshowalter@iccsafe.org)
New Design Values
The American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) Board of Review approved changes to design values for all grades and all sizes of visually-graded Southern Pine and Mixed Southern Pine lumber, with a recommended effective date of June 1, 2013 to allow for their orderly implementation. …
Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is a flexible building system suitable for use in all assembly types (e.g., walls, floors, and roofs). Made from industrial dried lumber stacked together at right angles and glued over their entire surface, it is an exceptionally strong product that retains its static strength and shape, and allows transfer of loads on all sides. Panels are prefabricated based on the project design, and arrive at the job site with windows and doors pre-cut. Although size varies by manufacturer, they can be as large as 54.1 x 9.7 x 1.6 feet and include 3, 5, 7, or more layers. …