ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: There is clear interest from designers in at least Europe, North America and The Antipodes in using timber as a primary construction material for relatively tall multi-storey building superstructures. However, contemporary timber design standards are oriented towards providing information best suited to design of quite low-rise building superstructures (circa less than 20m tall) for which relatively relaxed structural engineering approaches are deemed acceptable. Discussion here relates to design of superstructures having up to twelve storeys and around 80m heights. Details addressed include recommendations developed under the auspices of the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering as part of draft IABSE Structural Engineering Document 13 “Structural Use of Timber in Tall Multi-storey Buildings” scheduled to be published in 2013. Mention is also made of the possible creation of special -- Extra Normal Applications -- provisions in the Canadian timber design code that would advise engineers how to approach design of building superstructures with characteristics not sensibly similar to characteristics of traditional timber superstructures.
