Advanced Log and Timber Frame Engineering-Modeling, Joinery
Design and Detailing
June 10-14, 2008

NOTE: Check back for an updated course schedule coming soon.

This class is intended for practicing engineers and log and timber frame designers who already have a good understanding of engineering and designing with timber. There will be a brief review of the behavior of wood, the allowable stress values in the National Design Specifications and appropriate building codes. The class will then progress to modeling timber frames for analysis and using the analysis results for joinery design. Particular attention will be paid to all wood joinery design, with metal fasteners introduced as a last resort. Lateral loading of frames will also be discussed, including the possible use of structural insulated panels or other shear elements. The impact of joinery decisions on frame raising will be discussed along with the stresses imparted to the frame during raising. Important timber frame, log and substructure detailing decisions will also be discussed. Students are encouraged to bring their own frame or log designs/drawings to analyze during the lab sessions. Depending on interest, we may select one or two projects to work on, or students may break into small groups according to individual interests. Finally, students will get a chance to try their hand at cutting a simple joint. Log construction will be discussed in the code and lateral load sessions, and two sessions will be dedicated to the special requirements of log structure engineering and detailing.

This workshop will contain 24 hours of instruction and exercises, which can be used as Professional Development Hours for the purposes of Continuing Education requirements for licensure renewal.

Required Resources

You will need a calculator, basic drawing tools (scale, straightedge, triangles, pencils, erasers) and some graph paper. If at all possible, bring a laptop computer with a spreadsheet program. If you presently use the program Visual Analysis, it would be helpful to have it on your laptop; if not, we can provide student copies. We don't recommend that you buy either a laptop or Visual Analysis just for this class.

Recommended Resources

The Allowable Stress Design (ASD) Manual for Engineered Wood Construction, published by the American Forest & Paper Association, will be used as the textbook for the course. Bring a copy of the ASD and the attendant volumes of the 2001 National Design Specifications for Wood Construction if you have one, or an older copy if you have that. If you do not practice engineering in the United States, you will also get along by sharing with your neighbor. The  2006 IBC would be helpful if you have it, but again do not buy it just for this class.

Be sure to see our gallery page for more photos from engineering workshops.

Date/Time	June 10(Tue)	June 11(Wed)	June 12(Thu)	June 13(Fri)	June 14(Sat)
7:00-8:00 am		BREAKFAST	BREAKFAST	BREAKFAST	BREAKFAST
8:30-10:00 am		Timber properties, NDS & codes	Structural Insulated Panels	Frame Raising Issues	Review of Research
10:00-10:30 am		BREAK	BREAK	BREAK	BREAK
10:30-12:00 am		Lateral Loads on Frames and Log Walls	Timber Frame Tension Joinery	Log Structure Engineering and Detailing	Timber Frame Detailing/substructure attachments
12:00-1:30 pm		LUNCH	LUNCH-Tree ID picnic hike 12:00-1:30	LUNCH	Adjourn & LUNCH
1:30-3:00 pm		Frame Modeling for Analysis	Log Structure Engineering	Timber Frame Misc. Joinery Design (student Q&A)
3:00-3:30 pm		BREAK	BREAK	BREAK
3:30-5:00 pm		Timber Frame Compression Joinery	Hands On Joinery (build sawhorse)	When wood joinery won't work (metal fasteners)
6:00-7:00 pm		DINNER	DINNER	DINNER
7:00-8:30 pm	Get acquainted/ Social time	Lab Session 1 (Analyze examples from students)	Lab Session 2 (more student examples)	Open Evening

Taught by Jennifer Anthony and Grigg Mullen