DES607 – Outcomes of ICC Tall Wood AdHoc Committee: Mass Timber Provisions in the 2021 I-Codes

In early 2016, the ICC Board of Directors approved the creation of an ad hoc committee to explore the building science of tall wood buildings with the scope being to investigate the feasibility of and take action to develop code changes for tall wood buildings. Since that time, the Tall Wood Building (TWB) Ad Hoc Committee has reviewed voluminous materials regarding tall wood buildings, including results of various testing around the world, as well as studies domestically in support of the TWB charge to conduct a thorough review of the science of tall wood. The TWB developed its own test scenario(s) to substantiate any code change proposals (testing was carried out at ATF labs); and worked to develop a comprehensive set of technically-substantiated code changes for consideration during the 2018 Group A code development process. The intensive research performed by the Committee was submitted under the ICC Code Development Process, along with the resulting proposals developed by Committee consensus. All of the Group A TWB proposals have been approved. The TWB has also developed a set of Group B proposals, submitted in January 2019.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Identify the make-up of the TWB Ad Hoc Committee and the process used to reach consensus on proposed code changes.
2. Recognize how the new types of construction compare with existing types of construction in the International Building Code and specify the inherent differences and conservative approaches the new types have.
3. Understand the process by which the allowable heights, areas, and number of stories permitted for the proposed mass timber types of construction were developed and will be able to utilize the information for building design.
4. State the fire resistance requirements for mass timber building elements. Further, they will be able to distinguish when and where non-combustible protection can be omitted.

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