The American Wood Council’s (AWC) National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction and Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS) are documents referenced in US building codes and used to design wood structures worldwide. Based on numerous help desk questions and feedback from design professionals, AWC has identified some of the most commonly overlooked wood connection engineering requirements from the NDS and SDPWS. These requirements will be discussed as well as resources and examples to meet these requirements. Examples include NDS Appendix E Local Stresses in Fastener Groups, NDS 3.4.3.3 shear design of members at connections, resources for power-driven fasteners such as ISANTA ESR 1539, and detailing requirements for high capacity shear walls and diaphragms.

Learning Objectives:

1. Be able to understand overlooked wood connection engineering issues.
2. Obtain resources for complying with wood connection engineering issues.
3. Identify and design for local stresses in fastener groups.
4. Identify and detail high capacity shear walls and diaphragms.

Equivalencies: 1.5 Hours of Instruction = 0.15 Continuing Education Units (CEU) = 1.5 Professional Development Hours (PDH) = 1.5 Learning Units (LU)

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AWC's 2015 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS) is referenced in the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) for design of structures using wood shear walls and diaphragms to resist wind and seismic lateral loads. Provisions in the SDPWS contain the equal deflection requirement for distribution of shear to shear walls in a line which can be met either by calculation of shear wall deflections or use of reduced design unit shear strength. This course will discuss the 2015 SDPWS provisions for distributing shear using the deflection calculation approach and effects on calculated design shear capacity of a shear wall line. It will be compared to the adjustment factor approach which permits distribution of shear in proportion to strength where reduced strengths are determined by use of the 2b_s/h factor for wood structural panels. Allowable stress design (ASD) examples, excerpted from the 2015 SDPWS Commentary are included.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Be able to understand the 2015 SDPWS provisions for distribution of shear to shear walls in a line
2. Be familiar with the 2015 SDPWS provisions for shear distribution based on either i) deflection calculation, or ii) use of reduced shear strengths in accordance with the 2bs/h factor for wood structural panels
3. Be able to understand how distribution of shear provisions affects design shear capacity of shear walls in a line
4. Be familiar with new strength reductions for shear walls based on shear wall aspect ratio

Equivalencies: 1.0 Hours of Instruction = 0.1 Continuing Education Units (CEU) = 1 Professional Development Hours (PDH) = 1 Learning Units (LU)

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There are several design tools and standards to assist engineers, architects, and building officials with the design of shear walls. Prescriptive approaches such as those outlined in AWC's 2015 Wood Frame Construction Manual (WFCM) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings tend to provide conservative results. Engineered approaches such as those outlined in AWC's 2015 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS) typically result in more efficient designs. This course will outline several resources available for shear wall design, compare design results, and provide an example for resisting seismic loads on a structure using both the WFCM and SDPWS.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Identify and understand the basic shear wall system to resist lateral seismic loads.
2. Understand the differences between segmented and perforated shear wall design.
3. Understand hold down design and special conditions that pertain to seismic hold downs.
4. Be able to identify and analyze shear walls per 2015 WFCM, and 2015 SDPWS and understand the differences between them.

Equivalencies: 1.0 Hours of Instruction = 0.1 Continuing Education Units (CEU) = 1 Professional Development Hours (PDH) = 1 Learning Units (LU)

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Two AWC standards utilized throughout the nation for a code compliant design of wood shear walls are 2015 Wood Frame Construction Manual (WFCM) for One- and Two-Family Dwellings and 2015 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS). The WFCM contains both a prescriptive and engineering design approach. Although the prescriptive design will tend to provide more conservative results than the more efficient engineered design, designers may arrive more readily at a solution. This course will include examples of seismic and wind shear wall designs for segmented and perforated shear walls, utilizing the WFCM and the SDPWS along with a comparison of the results.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify and understand the basic shear wall system to resist lateral wind and seismic loads.
2. Understand the differences between segmented and perforated shear wall design.
3. Understand hold down design and special conditions that pertain to seismic and wind hold downs.
4. Be able to identify and analyze shear walls per 2015 WFCM and 2015 SDPWS and understand the differences between them.

Equivalencies: 1.5 Hours of Instruction = 0.15 Continuing Education Units (CEU) = 1.5 Professional Development Hours (PDH) = 1.5 Learning Units (LU)

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This presentation provides an overview of the Force Transfer Around Openings (FTAO) shear wall design approach, recent research in this area, and a side-by-side comparison of design results between segmented, perforated, and FTAO design methods. This methodology is based on a joint research project of APA – The Engineered Wood Association, University of British Columbia (UBC), and USDA Forest Products Laboratory that examined variations of shear walls with code-allowable openings. The study evaluated internal forces generated during testing and assessed the effects of opening sizes, full-height pier sizes, and different construction techniques, including the segmented, perforated, and FTAO methods. Asymmetric piers, multiple openings, and C-shaped sheathing were investigated and rational design methodologies in accordance with the International Building Code have been created.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will investigate past and current methods for determining force transfer around openings for wood shear walls through discussion of the joint research project of APA – The Engineered Wood Association, the University of British Columbia (UBC), and the USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL).
2. Participants will compare the effects of different opening sizes, full-height pier sizes, and their relationships to the three industry shear wall approaches by illustrating use of the segmented, perforated, and FTAO methods.
3. Participants will observe how the study examined internal forces generated during loading by reviewing full-scale wall test data as well as analytical modeling performed in determining statistical accuracy.
4. Participants will conclude that research results obtained from this study can be used to support different design methodologies in estimating forces around openings accurately.

Equivalencies: 1.5 Hours of Instruction = 0.15 Continuing Education Units (CEU) = 1.5 Professional Development Hours (PDH) = 1.5 Learning Units (LU)

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This continuing education course provides an overview of wind-resistive design issues in wood buildings with a focus on compliance with the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) and American Society of Civil Engineers/ Structural Engineering Institute (ASCE/ SEI) Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7-10). The information on code-conforming wood design contained in this course is based on the American Wood Council’s (AWC’s) 2015 National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction, the 2015 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS) and the 2015 Wood Frame Construction Manual (WFCM).

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the basic parameters for determining wind loads on buildings in accordance with the 2012 IBC and ASCE 7-10.
2. Consider the effects of topography, wind directionality and openings in the structure on calculated wind loads and wind pressures.
3. Explain how the exposure category for a building project can vary based on the roughness of nearby terrain.
4. Recognize the importance of a continuous load path minimize damage to wood buildings in a high wind event.

Equivalencies: 1.0 Hours of Instruction = 0.1 Continuing Education Units (CEU) = 1 Professional Development Hours (PDH) = 1 Learning Units (LU)

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Per the International Building Code (IBC), structures using wood shear walls and diaphragms to resist wind and seismic lateral loads shall be designed and constructed in accordance with AWC's Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS). This course will discuss the 2015 SDPWS which is a dual format document with both allowable stress design (ASD) and load and resistance factor design (LRFD). In this course, participants will learn about format of the SDPWS and how to apply design provisions to shear walls and diaphragms as well as changes from previous editions.

Learning Objectives:

1. Be able to understand load path basics and how it applies to wood structural design.
2. Be familiar with the significant changes between the 2008 and 2015 SDPWS.
3. Be able to identify lateral resisting systems and understand where to obtain design specifications for these systems.
4. Be able to analyze format and content within the 2015 SDPWS.

Equivalencies: 2.0 Hours of Instruction = 0.2 Continuing Education Units (CEU) = 2 Professional Development Hours (PDH) = 2 Learning Units (LU)

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Per the International Building Code (IBC), structures using wood shear walls and diaphragms to resist wind and seismic lateral loads shall be designed and constructed in accordance with AWC's Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS). This article will discuss the 2015 SDPWS and participants will learn about format of the SDPWS as well as how to apply design provisions to shear walls and diaphragms as well as changes from previous editions.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, participants will:

1. Be familiar with 2015 SDPWS updates to referenced standards.
2. Be familiar with the significant changes between the 2008 and 2015 SDPWS.
3. Be familiar with consistencies with ASCE 7-10 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures.
4. Be able to determine where to obtain the 2015 SDPWS and other resources.

Equivalencies: 1.0 Hours of Instruction = 0.1 Continuing Education Units (CEU) = 1 Professional Development Hours (PDH) = 1 Learning Units (LU)

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AWC's 2015 National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Constructionand Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS) standards are referenced in US building codes and used to design wood structures worldwide. The current editions, designated ANSI/AWC NDS-2015 and ANSI/AWC SDPWS-2015, were approved as ANSI American National Standards in 2014. This presentation will provide an overview of changes in the 2015 NDS and SDPWS relative to the previous editions. Significant changes relate to incorporation of cross laminated timber, open front diaphragms and cantilever diaphragms.

Learning Objectives:

1. Discuss significant changes between the 2012 and 2015 NDS.
2. Discuss significant changes between the 2008 and 2015 SDPWS.
3. Be able to identify lateral resisting systems and understand where to obtain design specifications for these systems.
4. Discuss the overall format and content within the 2015 NDS and 2015 SDPWS.

Equivalencies: 2.0 Hours of Instruction = 0.2 Continuing Education Units (CEU) = 2 Professional Development Hours (PDH) = 2 Learning Units (LU)

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This article provides an overview of changes for the 2015 Permanent Wood Foundation (PWF) Design Specification—a publication intended to address structural design requirements of a wood foundation for light-frame construction. The standard for designing wood foundations, most commonly used in residential structures in the upper Midwest, has been updated to reflect reference to the 2015 National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction and 2015 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS). The 2015 PWF, 2015 NDS, and 2015 SDPWS are all adopted by reference in the 2015 International Building Code and the 2015 International Residential Code.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand changes incorporated in the 2015 PWF standard.
2. Be knowledgeable of the basic requirements for a PWF.
3. Understand material requirements for use in a PWF.
4. Be aware of related standards required to design a PWF.

Equivalencies: 1.0 Hours of Instruction = 0.1 Continuing Education Units (CEU) = 1 Professional Development Hours (PDH) = 1 Learning Units (LU)

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