The demand for mass timber in construction is increasing as society seeks to build with more sustainable materials. Building codes and design guidance for using mass timber vary substantially from country to country, as does the foundation on which the local codes have been developed.
Mass timber is a combustible construction material and may pose a building hazard. In a fire, exposed timber can contribute additional fuel, increasing the intensity and/or duration relative to a building of non-combustible construction and increasing the collapse risk.
To support the fire-safe design of mass timber buildings, Arup has developed a Guide on Fire-Safe Design of Mass Timber Buildings, which proposes features to be incorporated into the design for residential, education and business occupancies (up to 50m tall for residential and business use and up to 25m tall for education use) which have a mass timber structure.
The Guide’s recommendations apply to cross-laminated timber (CLT) panel construction, mass timber frame construction, and hybrid structures. Other mass timber floor systems, such as nail laminated and dowel laminated timber, are not directly addressed.
Read the full story here – https://www.woodbizafrica.co.za/may-2024-issue-37/#may-2024-issue-37/20/