3/18/2013

WoodWorks Design and Proper Use

of Engineered Wood
Beams

• Archie Landreman, CSI

“The Wood Products Council” is a Registered Provider with The

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prohibited.
American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES).
Credit(s) earned on completion of this program will be reported to
AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA
members and non-AIA members are available upon request.
This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional
education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed
or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any
material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using,
distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be
addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

© The Wood Products Council 2012

What is an Engineered Wood

Objectives
Product?
Acquire working knowledge of Any wood-
Engineered Wood Beams based building
material that
Differentiate Engineered Wood Beams has been
Based on availability, cost, and strength improved
Evaluate the use of Engineered Wood physically by a
Beams for a variety of applications manufacturing
process.
Identify how Engineered Wood Beams
are commonly used based on project
examples

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Engineered Wood Products Engineered Wood Products

Environmentally Friendly
Designed by optimally orienting wood
strands, veneers or laminations
Using structural durable adhesives
Forming larger composite products
With engineered properties manufactured
to maximize wood’s natural and strength
characteristics

LVL-Laminated Veneer Lumber

LSL-Laminated Strand Lumber
PSL-Parallel Strand Lumber

Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)

Veneers bonded together
 Beams, headers, rafters &
scaffold planking
 Common thicknesses:
¾” to 3-1/2”

All grain parallel

to length

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Laminated Veneer Lumber = LVL LVL Beams in I-Joist Floor Systems

• Readily and widely available
• Variety of stress classes available to suit specific designs
• Competitively priced
• Strength achieved not by densification, but by grading and
optimum layup of veneers
• To reduce handling of heavy beams, LVL can be site built into
wider beams by nailing or bolting
• Dimensionally stable, water repellent sealers available to
extend exposure performance
• Typical applications: beams, headers, columns, joists, studs,
ridge beams, truss chords, scaffold planking, and I-joist
flanges

LVL Floor Beam Side Loaded Side Loaded LVL

Timberstrand LSL

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Solid Start LSL Laminated Strand Lumber = LSL

• Permits use of smaller, variable quality logs

• Higher shear strength than LVL & PSL
• Allows holes 2x larger than LVL or PSL
• Typically less expensive than LVL & PSL
• Can be the best value, if structural demands are met
• Excellent fastener holding strength
• Species include aspen, yellow poplar
• Commonly used for headers, beams, columns,
studs, stair stringers, door & window parts

Parallam® PSL introduced 1988 Parallam® Exterior Solutions

PSL means:

Parallel
Strand
Lumber

Parallam® is a registered
trademark brand name of iLevel.

Parallel Strand Lumber = PSL

•Stronger & stiffer than LSL

•Generally more $ than LVL, LSL, or Glulam
•Allows higher fiber utilization than LVL
•Readily treated with preservatives
•Easily bolted
•Used for columns, header, beams, trusses.
•For interior apps-can be finished & left exposed

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WOOD SOLUTIONS FAIR

December 7, 2011 What is Glulam?
Today’s Glulam – Important Glulam = a structural composite of
Considerations for Design and lumber and adhesives
Construction Professionals

Tom Williamson, P.E.

Consulting Engineer
Retired Vice President, APA
Past Executive VP, AITC

Glulam Dispersal of Strength

Reducing Characteristics
 Wood laminations
bonded together
 Wood grain runs parallel Single Lamination
to the length

Typical Widths:
 2-1/2" to 10-3/4"
Laminations:
 1-3/8" for Southern Pine Glued Laminated Timber
 1-1/2" for Douglas Fir

Glulam – One of the Original Glued 1933 – First Glulam in the U.S.A.
Engineered Wood Composites Madison, WI

Introduced in the
U.S. in 1933 Over 115 years
of use worldwide

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Spans of 100 feet or greater Oceans Exhibit – Indianapolis Zoo

10-3/4” x 72”
115 ft. clear span

Unmatched Versatility of
Shapes and Spans Glulam Lay-Ups
302-24 T.L. No. 2D
No. 1 Tension No. 2 Compression
Zone Zone
No. 2 No. 2

No. 3 Inner Zone Inner Zone

No. 3

No. 2 No. 2
No. 1 Tension No. 1 Tension
302-24 T.L. Zone 302-24 T.L. Zone

Balanced Unbalanced

E-Rated Southern Pine Layup

Member Type 30F – 2.1E Stress Grade
2.3E
No. 1D
No. 2D

Column
Limited to nominal
Truss member No. 2M 6 inch width or less

No. 2D
No. 1D
2.3E
Simple span beam Cantilever span beam

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SYP 2.1 E LVL Hybrid Glulam with LVL

Outer Laminations
 Full length with no LVL Laminations
finger joints required
 LVL has greater
tensile strength
compared to lumber
 30F-2.1E stress level
achieved
 Direct substitute for
many SCL products

FRP Reinforced Glulam Western Washington University

Small Gym
Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) 12-1/4” x 70” x 78 ft.
Fiberglass 10-3/4” x 57” x 78 ft.

Thin Layer
Carbon
of FRP Kevlar
Other

Natatorium
12-1/4” x 81” x 91 ft.
10-3/4” x 64-1/2” x 91 ft.

Western Washington University Product Basics

Large Cross Sections Are Possible
Main Gym 21” x 27” x 110’
14-1/4” x 90” x 106 ft. Note multiple
10-3/4” x 75” x 106 ft. pieces positioned
side by side

Cost savings for the

FRP glulam beams
was $22,000

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A City of Trees (Library) Chicago Bears Football

Beaverton, OR Practice Facility

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Note the “TOP” Stamp

for Unbalanced Layup

Unbalanced Layups Specifying Camber

“Upside Down” Bending Stresses
 Glulam can be manufactured with camber
to offset the anticipated dead load deflection
Based on full-size  Very important for long span members
beam tests
conducted at APA,
the “upside down”
bending stress is
75% of the normal
bending capacity

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Stock Glulam Sizes Stock Glulam IJC Sizes

Beam Orientation and Sizes
• Horizontal or load
perpendicular to face
• Typical beam depths
• 9” – 30”
• Typical beam widths
• 3-1/8” and 3-1/2”
• 5-1/8” and 5-1/2”
• 6-3/4”
• Lengths are available
as needed from
distribution yards
• Typical IJC beam
depths
• 9-1/2”, 11-7/8”
depth • 14” and 16”
• Widths for IJC beams
match 2x4 and 2x6
framing
width

Question and answers

82

Naturally Durable Species

Port Orford Cedar 22F-1.8E
Alaska Yellow Cedar 20F-1.5E
Western Red Cedar 16F-1.3E
California Redwood 16F-1.1E

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Alaska Yellow Cedar (AYC) Preservative Treatment of Glulam

Santa Monica, CA Reservoir Cover See APA Technical Note S580

Preservative forced
into wood cells under
pressure

Untreated glulam in
pressure cylinder ready
for treatment

Characteristics of Glulam in Fire Glulam: Char

 Wood is an excellent
heat insulator
 Develops a char layer
after fire exposure
 Self-extinguishing after 10-3/4 x 16-1/2

fire source removed

 Retains significant
residual strength after
being exposed to fire

Glulam: Fire Resistance Tension Lam Provisions

Fire Protection

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Chemical Storage Facility Twin Rink Ice Arena

Portland, OR Anaheim, CA.

2010 Olympic Skating Oval

Cathedral of Light – Oakland, CA
Richmond, B.C.

Toronto Ontario Art Gallery

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Glulam Truss Bridge

in Hiroshima Japan

Total length = 650 ft.

Main central span = 275 ft.
Tower height = 155 ft.
Truss depth = 10 ft.

Selecting and Sizing Floor Beam Assumptions

 Dry Use
Stress Classes Combined for Simplicity
 Uniform Load Only – No Point Loads
 Beam Weight Included
 Most Restrictive of Simple or Multiple Span Conditions
 Live Load = 80% of Total Load
 Load Duration Factor = 1.00
 Live Load Deflection = L/360
 Total Load Deflection = L/240
 Adequate Bearing Area Provided
 Continuous Lateral Bracing Along Top and Bottom Chords
and at Top and Bottom at Ends of Beam

Beam MOE Fb Span Width Depth Total Actual Pass Horiz.

Type
Beam
(psi)
(psi)
Comparisons-Floor
(ft) (in) (in)
(plf)Beam A(psi)
Load Cap.
(plf)
Shear

Floor Beam 8-0-0

LSL 1.55 2325 8 3.5 9.5 1200 1292 310

LSL 1.75 2500 “ “ “ “ 1406 410

Span in Feet: 8-0-0
LVL 1.5 2250 “ “ “ “ 1150 No 220 Total Load: 1200#
LVL 1.9 2600 “ “ “ “ 1462 285 Beam Width: 3.5”
LVL 2.0 2900 “ “ “ “ 1493 285 Beam Depth: 9.5”
LVL 2.0 3100 “ “ “ “ 1493 285 Beam Type: LSL 1.55E 2325fb
PSL 2.0 2900 “ “ “ “ 1517 290
Actual Capacity: 1292#
GL SP 2.1 3000 “ “ “ “ 1645 300
Note: 310fv
GL DF 1.8 2400 “ “ 9.0 “ 1174 No 265

GL DF 1.8 2400 “ “ 10.5 “ 1599

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Floor Beam 8-0-0
Span in Feet: 8-0-0
Total Load: 1200#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 9.5”
Beam Type: LSL 1.75E 2500fb
Actual Capacity: 1406#
Note: 410fv
Floor Beam 8-0-0
Span in Feet: 8-0-0
Total Load: 1200#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 9.5”
Beam Type: LVL 1.9E 2600fb
Actual Capacity: 1462#
Note: 285fv
Floor Beam 8-0-0
Span in Feet: 8-0-0
Total Load: 1200#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 9.5”
Beam Type: LVL 2.0E 3100fb
Actual Capacity: 1493#
Note: 285fv
3/18/2013
Floor Beam 8-0-0
Span in Feet: 8-0-0
Total Load: 1200#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 9.5”
Beam Type: LVL 1.5E 2250fb
Actual Capacity: 1150# Fails
 Note: 220fv
Floor Beam 8-0-0
Span in Feet: 8-0-0
Total Load: 1200#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 9.5”
Beam Type: LVL 2.0E 2900fb
Actual Capacity: 1493#
 Note: 285fv
Floor Beam 8-0-0
Span in Feet: 8-0-0
Total Load: 1200#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 9.0”
Beam Type: DF Glulam 1.8E 2400fb
Actual Capacity: 1174# Fails
Note: 265fv
Note: 3.5”x10.5” Supports 1599#
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Floor Beam 8-0-0 Floor Beam 8-0-0

Span in Feet: 8-0-0 Span in Feet: 8-0-0

Total Load: 1200# Total Load: 1200#
Beam Width: 3.5” Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 9.5” Beam Depth: 9.5”
Beam Type: PSL 2.0E 2900fb Beam Type: SYP Glulam 2.1E 3000fb
Actual Capacity: 1517# Actual Capacity: 1645#
Note: 290fv Note: 300fv

Beam
Type Beam
MOE
(psi) Comparisons-Floor
Fb
(psi) (ft) (in) (in) Beam C Horiz.
Span Width Depth Total Actual Pass
Load Cap. Shear
(plf) (plf) (psi)
Floor Beam 20-0-0
LSL 1.55 2325 20 3.5 14 300 312 310

LVL 1.5 2250 “ “ “ “ 321 220 Span in Feet: 20-0-0

LSL 1.75 2500 “ “ “ “ 352 410 Total Load: 300#
LVL 1.7 2400 “ “ “ “ 362 285
Beam Width: 3.5”
LVL 1.9 2600 “ “ “ “ 387 285
Beam Depth: 14”
LVL 2.0 2900 “ “ “ “ 432 285

LVL 2.0 3100 “ “ “ “ ---- ----

Beam Type: LSL 1.55E 2325fb
PSL 2.0 2900 “ “ “ “ 407 290 Actual Capacity: 312#
GL DF 2.1 3000 “ “ “ “ 455 300 Note: 310fv
GL DF 1.8 2400 “ “ 13.5 “ 288 No 265

GL DF 1.8 2400 “ “ 15 “ 397

Floor Beam 20-0-0 Floor Beam 20-0-0

Span in Feet: 20-0-0 Span in Feet: 20-0-0

Total Load: 300# Total Load: 300#
Beam Width: 3.5” Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 14” Beam Depth: 14”
Beam Type: LVL 1.5E 2250fb Beam Type: LSL 1.75E 2500fb
Actual Capacity: 321# Actual Capacity: 352#
Note: 220fv Note: 410fv

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Floor Beam 20-0-0
Span in Feet: 20-0-0
Total Load: 300#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 14”
Beam Type: LVL 1.7E 2400fb
Actual Capacity: 362#
Note: 285fv
Floor Beam 20-0-0
Span in Feet: 20-0-0
Total Load: 300#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 14”
Beam Type: LVL 2.0E 2900fb
Actual Capacity: 432#
Note: 285fv
Floor Beam 20-0-0
Span in Feet: 20-0-0
Total Load: 300#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 14”
Beam Type: PSL 2.0E 2900fb
Actual Capacity: 407#
Note: 290fv
3/18/2013
Floor Beam 20-0-0
Span in Feet: 20-0-0
Total Load: 300#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 14”
Beam Type: LVL 1.9E 2600fb
Actual Capacity: 387#
Note: 285fv
Floor Beam 20-0-0
Span in Feet: 20-0-0
Total Load: 300#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 13.5”
Beam Type: DF Glulam 1.8E 2400fb
Actual Capacity: 288# Fails
Note: 265fv
Use 3.5” x 15” = 397# T.L.
Floor Beam 20-0-0
Span in Feet: 20-0-0
Total Load: 300#
Beam Width: 3.5”
Beam Depth: 14”
Beam Type: DF Glulam 2.1E 3000fb
Actual Capacity: 455#
Note: 300fv
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LVL Conclusions
 Ability to Nail in Place
 Most Commonly Available Engineered Wood
Beam
 Various Grades
 Available in Wide Widths (Verify)
 Competitive Pricing
 Available as Studs and Columns
PSL Conclusions
 High Strength
 Available in Wide Widths
 Can be Treated
 Can be Used in Timber Type Trusses
 Can be Exposed and Stained/Painted
 Available as Columns
Glulam Design References
AITC “Timber Construction Manual”
McGraw-Hill “APA Engineered Wood
Construction Guide”
McGraw-Hill “Wood Engineering and
Construction Handbook”
3/18/2013
LSL Conclusions
 Best for Short Spans
 Large Holes Capability
 One Piece Solution
 Headers in Walls
 Available as Columns and Studs
 Tall Wall Applications
Glulam Conclusions
 Architectural Grades Available
 High Strength Hybrid Beams
 Widest Widths Available
 Can be Cambered and Curved
 Some Beams are Individually Wrapped
 Deepest Depths Available
 Cost Competitive with SCL
 Available in DF, SYP, Cedar and Others
 Can be Treated
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Questions? Thank You

• This concludes The American
Institute of Architects
Continuing Education Systems
Archie Landreman, CSI
Course
Archie Landreman, CSI archie@woodworks.org
WoodWorks
262-497-5550
archie@woodworks.org
www.woodworks.org

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