CIE 430 DESIGN OF WOOD STRUCTURES

FALL 2017

ASSIGNMENT No. 2
Properties of Wood

Due Date: Tuesday September 26 @ 1:50 pm no exception.

Problem No. 1

The floor design of an industrial building calls for a 15 in deep glulam beam to be
supported on the ledge of a masonry wall. The connection between the wall and the
glulam beam will be achieved by a steel base anchored into the masonry and using a
single 3/4 bolt located 3 in from the bottom of the beam and a lateral restraint clip at the
top of the beam. Two possible details for this connection are shown below. In the first
detail, the top clip does not incorporate a bolt. In the second detail, the top clip
incorporates a bolt located 3 in from the top of the beam.

a) Considering that the moisture content will be 19% at the time of installation and
will reduce to 9% in service, which connection detail would you recommend?
Justify your answer with the help of sketches.

b) For the second connection detail, determine the minimum size of both holes in
order to avoid any potential shrinkage problem. Round off your answer to the next
largest 1/8 in.

Connection Detail 1 Connection Detail 2

3 in

Glulam Beam
15 in

3 in

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Problem No. 2

A floor design for an apartment building calls for 2 x 10 spruce joists to frame into a
W8x24 steel beam as shown in the figure below. A shipment of S-GRN joists will be
used.

Splice (1.5 in x 1.5 in)

Beam depth
= 7.91 in

0.39 in flange

It can be assumed that the moisture content is 19% at the time of installation and will
reduce to 9% in service.

Determine if the spacing between the splice and the upper flange of the beam is sufficient
to allow free shrinkage of the beam.

Problem No. 3

a) Explain why the joint of the bottom chord of a truss shown in the figure below is a
poor design given that the lumber is 19% MC at the time of fabrication and will dry in
service to 9% MC.

Bolt
Diameter
= 0.75 in

3 in

5.5 in

5.25 in
2.75 in

b) Determine the minimum sizes of the holes in order to solve the problem of this
connection. Round off your answer to the next largest 1/8.

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Problem No. 4

a) Determine by how much the top of the wood beams should be set higher than the
top of the girder in the beam-to-girder connection shown in the figure below in
order to allow free shrinkage that will occur in the depth of the beam. The initial
moisture content is 19% at the time of installation and will reduce to 10% in
service. Round off your answer to the next largest 1/8.

b) What is the consequence of not allowing this initial separation between the beams
and the girder?

Problem No. 5

Determine the total shrinkage at each floor level for the typical wall section shown in the
figure below assuming Southern Pine wood species and the moisture content decreases
from an initial value of 19% at the time of construction to a final value of 9% in service.
The floor framing is made of 2 x 14 joists with continuous blocking and the top and sill
plates are made of 2 x 6. Is the gap provided in the plywood wall sheathing adequate
to allow for this floor shrinkage?

Sill Plate
gap between
adjacent plywood
Floor Beam sheets to accommodate
shrinkage

Exterior
Top Plates Sheathing

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