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3D Concrete Printed Construction Systems

File Under: Structural Performance, Building Practices, Product Development

Three-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) technology is an innovative method of construction, using robotics and specially formulated concrete material to achieve greater design flexibility, faster material hardening times, and a wide range of mechanical properties without the need for conventional formwork. The technology has been in development for years in various universities, but adoption has been slow in the United States.

Durable Solutions for Balconies & Decks

File Under: Structural Performance

Durable Solutions for Balconies and Decks is an illustrated guide that identifies design principles and construction practices to improve the moisture performance of wood-framed balconies and decks in low- and mid-rise multifamily buildings.

Extended Plate & Beam Wall System

File Under: Structural Performance

Home Innovation Research Labs studied the extended plate and beam (EP&B) wall system during a two-year period from mid-2015 to mid-2017 to determine the wall’s structural performance, moisture durability, constructability, and cost effectiveness for use as a high-R enclosure system for energy code minimum and above-code performance in climate zones 4–8.

Innovative Light Framed Wall Bracing Options

File Under: Structural Performance

Let-in bracing has been a viable option for bracing of conventional construction for many years. Recent testing conducted by Home Innovation Research Labs under conditions of both full and partial restraint reconfirmed that let-in bracing continues to be an acceptable method of bracing. The renewed interest in let-in bracing is triggered by the increasing demand from builders for cost-effective energy-efficient construction. Technological barriers to the use of let-in bracing include (1) the limitations on the flexibility of placing of doors and windows where a let-in brace is installed because of the requirements for a wide uninterrupted wall and (2) the need for notching of studs. In addition, the 2009 IRC bracing provisions increased the required amounts of diagonal bracing. For these reasons, the utility of traditional let-in braces and similar alternative bracing methods have become challenged and are in need of innovation to meet the demands of current code provisions.

Wind Load Design Considerations for Out-of-Plane Loading

File Under: Building Codes & Standards, Structural Performance

The residential building code provisions continue to evolve with new design and construction requirements introduced every code update cycle. These new requirements are typically the result of one of the following:

A product innovation that leads to a new method of construction that has not been previously included in the prescriptive building code requirements
A system innovation that leads to the use of existing materials in new applications or new configurations
A re-evaluation of conventional practices based on engineering or changed performance expectations

Evaluation of Wood Sole Plate Anchorage to Concrete Under Monotonic and Cyclic Loading

File Under: Building Codes & Standards, Structural Performance

The purpose of this testing program is to evaluate the performance of cast-in-place foundation anchor bolt connections representative of those used in wood-frame residential construction. This testing program responds to the recent changes in the American Concrete Institute’s Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318) that significantly reduce the design capacity of near-edge concrete anchors. This reduction has brought into question the conventional practice of using 2x4 sole plates with 1/2-inch bolts spaced at 4 feet or 6 feet on center. However, the new provisions of ACI 318 are based on research of anchorage systems for commercial and industrial construction and use conservative extrapolation of this research to the design of residential systems. Because significant differences exist in construction practices between residential and commercial applications including bolt diameters, edge distances, embedment lengths, bearing capacity of the anchored material, concrete strength, line of bolts spaced apart vs. bolt clusters, etc., it is envisioned that results of this study will help improve accuracy of design methods for residential anchors by capturing representative failure modes, response variability, and applicable safety margins.

System Evaluations & Specifications: Advanced Header Framing Design for High-R Wall Systems

File Under: Structural Performance

Advanced wall framing designs for residential construction have centered on reducing the framing factor of the wall system to allow more area for insulation materials. While maintaining structural performance characteristics, use of advanced framing techniques can reduce the lumber member count and the overall area of the wall that is made up of primarily solid wood components. These wood components have a lower insulating capability than insulation materials by a factor of three or more. Advanced framing techniques include a combination of details, any number of which may be used together to form the advanced framing system. One such advanced framing detail is the header design. Headers are structural members that support wall, floor and roof loads that fall over top of an opening below (e.g. window) and are designed to carry the load that would have been carried by a solid wall framing member or members. Headers are typically located directly over an opening and supported by framing members such as jack and king studs.

Evaluation of Full-Scale House Testing Under Lateral Loading

File Under: Structural Performance

Numerous studies have been conducted to measure the lateral performance of low-rise light-frame structures. However, questions remain on correlating engineering design methods to actual building performance, both in the lab and in the field. The difference between calculated and observed performance is commonly attributed to the contribution of finishes and building details that allow the building to act as a complete system.

Evaluation of Nailed Roof-to-Wall Connections for Resistance to Uplift

File Under: Structural Performance

In light-frame wood construction, nails have historically been the primary method for connecting roof members to walls. The connection, known as a toe-nail or a slant-nail, is fabricated by installing nails at an angle through the side of a roof framing members and into the wall’s top plate. Model building codes allowed the use of toe-nails under conventional construction provisions in areas not prone to hurricanes. Recently, proposals to modify the conventional construction provisions to substantially reduce the applicability of toe-nailed connections have been discussed at various code development forums. This study is intended to provide the basis for establishing appropriate scoping limits for toe-nailed roof-to-wall connections in applications under the International Residential Code (IRC).

Advanced Framing: An Examination of its Practical Use in Residential Construction

File Under: Structural Performance

Advanced framing, also known as Optimum Value Engineering (OVE), is not new to home building. It was featured in kit homes offered by the Sears & Roebuck Company in the early 1900s (HUD, 2001), researched extensively in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and featured in a landmark publication, Manual of Lumber & Plywood Saving Techniques for Residential Light-Frame Construction (NAHB Research Foundation, 1971). Again in 1994, OVE framing techniques were revisited, updated, and featured in Cost-Effective Home Building (NAHB, 1994). Currently, provisions for several key OVE framing practices are found in model U.S. building codes (ICC, 2006).