Mass Timber Construction: Products, Performance and Design

Mass Timber Construction: Products, Performance and Design

Due to their high strength, dimensional stability and positive environmental performance, mass timber building products are quickly becoming materials of choice for sustainably minded designers.

This presentation provides a detailed look at the variety of mass timber products available, including glue-laminated timber (glulam), cross laminated timber (CLT), nail laminated timber (NLT), heavy timber decking, and other engineered and composite systems. Applications for the use of these products under modern building codes will be discussed, and examples of their use in U.S. projects reviewed.

Mass timber’s ability to act as both structure and exposed finish will also be highlighted, as will its performance as part of an assembly, considering design objectives related to structural performance, fire resistance, acoustics, and energy efficiency. Other topics will include detailing and construction best practices, lessons learned from completed projects and trends for the increased use of mass timber products in the future.

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Identify mass timber products available in North America and consider how they can be used under current building codes and standards.
• Review completed mass timber projects that demonstrate a range of applications and system configurations.
• Discuss benefits of using mass timber products, including structural versatility, prefabrication, lighter carbon footprint, and reduced labor costs.
• Highlight possibilities for the expanded use and application of mass timber in larger and taller buildings.