1. Software solutions for LVL building systems
Cameron Rodger
B.Eng(Civil), MIEAust, MIPENZ, CPENG
LVL Business Manager

2. Agenda
• Laminated Veneer Lumber
• Material Selection
• LVL building design guidelines
• Timber engineering design tools - computeIT Suite
• Whangarei Dry Mill – a practical design example using computeIT
toolkIT
• I-beam purlin design
• Box beam design
• Solid rafter design
• Practical considerations
• Real examples
• TCC Floor Design using computeIT for beams

3. Laminated Veneer Lumber (L.V.L)
• CHH Engineered Wood Products range
– Structural LVL – hyONE (E=16.0), hySPAN+ (E=14.0), hySPAN (E=13.2), hyCHORD (E=11.0),
hy90(E=9.5), hyJOIST
– Use higher grade LVL for primary structural members
– Use i-beams or lower grade LVL for secondary framing
• Features and benefits
– Sourced from renewable plantation pine
• Consistent quality raw material availability, carbon storing
helping reduce green house gas omissions
• Available FSC Certified
– Manufacturing process 3rd party audited
• Guaranteed consistent quality
– Peeled veneer eliminating naturally occurring defects
• Removes localised stress raisers such as knots, etc.
• Veneer tested for stiffness and recipes established for each product

4. Structural L.V.L
• LVL is an engineered material with the
intrinsic benefits of timber
• Suitable for use in fully integrated LVL
systems including:
– Built up LVL portal frame components
– Composite plywood and LVL purlins
– LVL wall framing
– TCC Floors
– Multi-Storey Structural Systems
• Designers can have confidence that the
design intent will carry through to the finished
structure

5. LVL - Material selection
LVL ideal material choice due to adaptability in:
– Structural reliability/variability
– Production lengths – Limitless (18.3 m practically)
– Sections sawn from nominal 1200 mm billet
– Thickness variation
• Ranging from 28 mm to 105 mm
– Type of LVL
• Long band
• Cross band
– Allows for creation of built up sections
• Box Beams
• Deep I-beams

6. Portal Suite - Material selection
• Cross Band LVL
– Dimensional Stability.
– Reduces tendency of long band veneers to split from fasteners
– Limited stocks readily available, largely a made to order product

7. LVL Building design guidelines
• Design methodology and loading
– Design criteria based on structure type not material type
– Loading in accordance with relevant loading standards
– Footing and bracing design similar to steel systems
• Footing sizes an have significant savings in relation to concrete buildings
– Optimal member spans and bay/frame spacings may be different for
timber, steel and concrete structural systems

8. LVL Building design guidelines
• Elastic Structural Analysis (Microstran, Spacegass) differs
little to that applied to steel except for structural properties
• No separate consideration of shear deflection required for
solid LVL sections
– For built up sections adjustments to Poisons ratio required
• A number of options for rigid moment resisting connections
– X-banded LVL gussets
– Quick connect jointing system
– Post tension/pre-stressed structural systems
• Serviceability limits similar to steel and concrete
• Effects of creep need to be taken into account for permanent
loads

9. Design Tools
CHH have produced tools to aid in the design of LVL based
systems
• Software based solutions
– computeIT for beams
• Now includes TCC Floor Design
– computeIT toolkIT
• Rigid moment connection design
• Member design (solid and built up sections)
• Purlin Design
• Girt Design
– Includes Design details, commonly available products and connections
• Alternate commercial product range
• Engineering support from experienced consulting timber
design engineers

10. computeIT Suite
1. Provides LVL Structural solutions for market segments currently limited
to EWP’s through engineering design capability/costs
2. Make the design of timber based systems and connections as easy, or
easier than steel alternatives
3. Presents proven, cost effective solutions from readily available LVL
members
4. Developed by practicing timber design engineers for engineers
5. Interactive design in accordance with regulatory design standards
6. Design modules that aid engineers in the interpretation of timber
phenomena
7. Still allows the design engineer to make the decision about the
suitability of design

11. computeIT for beams
An integrated design and analysis package for engineers. Aids
engineers in the understanding of timber design and analysis.
Target Market
– All engineers (those not comfortable with ‘black box’
packages) currently using structural analysis packages and
steel solutions
– residential & commercial projects

12. computeIT for beams
• Point of difference
– Design & Analysis Package
• Allows for entry of predetermined loads for beam designs for all types of
loading for differing beam configurations
• Design and analysis for both strength and serviceability limit states
– Un-factored loads entered
– Factored load cases presented as per AS/NZS 1170.1
– Users enter restraint condition
– Design in accordance with AS1720
– Provides guidance for engineers in relation to timber phenomenon's
» Shear Deflection
» Creep
» Duration of load
– Importantly, still allows engineer to make the decision about the
suitability of the section

13. computeIT for beams- Now includes EXPAN/STIC
technology
Timber Concrete Composite (TCC Floors) providing composite
action between concrete and LVL structural elements.
Key Value Proposition
Provide a structurally fit for purpose solution that includes a
level of fire resistance and acoustic attenuation.

14. computeIT toolkIT
computeIT toolkit is a series of design tools to allow for the quick
and easy design of rigid moment connections, primary and
secondary members
Target Market – engineers design commercial and industrial
buildings

15. computeIT toolkIT
Point of difference:
– computeIT toolkit provides users with the opportunity to:
• design moment resisting connections with commonly available materials and
connectors
• design solid and built up members subject to combined actions, easily considering
the effects of alternate restraint options
• Load combinations to AS/NZS 1170, with automatic selection of duration of load
factor
• analyse different members to determine cost effective options
• design solid and i-beam purlins and girts, including support and restraint details
• create a job specific Engineering Analysis Report including designed members and
connections
• Provides guidance for engineers in relation to timber phenomenon's
– Direction of grain
– Duration of load
• Review full worked design examples to aid engineers with the adoption of timber
engineering

16. computeIT toolkIT - Now includes EXPAN/STIC technology
Quick Connect moment resisting connection design technology
is now included in computeIT toolkIT.
Key Value Proposition
The quick connect technology uses a threaded rod, washers
and nuts for ease of connection on site through factory fitted
LVL sleeves.

17. computeIT for PORTAL FRAMES – under
development
computeIT for PORTAL FRAMES is a fully integrated design,
detailing, specification, and takeoff package for the design of
LVL based portal frames
Target Market – engineers designing portal frame systems
- fabricators (costing and fabrication)

18. www.chhsoftware.com

19. Whangarei Dry Mill – A practical design example
• A practical engineering approach including:
– Use of box and solid sections
– I-beam purlin design options
– Optimisation of material usage (and cost)
• Fabrication
– Importance of using an experienced
fabricator
• Peace of mind
• Kit-set delivery
– Large solid section vs lower volume built up
section
• Erection methodology
– Bay lifts
• Program advantages
• OH&S advantages

20. Whangarei Dry Mill
• Cost effective and structurally efficient design to develop a
12,210 m2 building
• Member selection based on:
– Structural integrity,
– Material availably, and
– Level of fabrication expertise required
• Versatility of LVL allowed development of a frame with:
– Built up box beams that have cross banded (x-band) LVL webs and
LVL flanges in high moment regions
– 18.2 m long solid 105 mm thick LVL sections in reduced moment
regions, reducing fabrication time and cost.
– Off the shelf I-beam purlins at 10 m bays completed the large
manufacturing and storage facility.

21. Whangarei Dry Mill – Building footprint

22. Whangarei Dry Mill – Elevations
Two portal frames proposed to share ridge line

23. Whangarei Dry Mill

24. Whangarei Dry Mill

25. Whangarei Dry Mill – Purlin Layout

26. Whangarei Dry Mill – Purlin Design
1. Reduced spacing
– Increased number of components
– More on site connections
2. Increase flange size/capacity as required
– Typical for large buildings
– Eliminates multiple spacing adjustments
– Capability to manufacture ‘specifically designed’ I
beams.
3. Increase number of lateral restraints
Solution : Mixture of reduced spacing and increased flange size provides
optimum design solution
Purlins within proximity of building edge subject to localised pressure &
require:

27. I-beam Purlin Design
Region Within ‘a’ from
windward edge
Within ‘h’ from
windward edge
Span 10000-193 = 9807 10000-105 = 9895
Spacing (max) 1380 1600
Roof Mass
Roof sheeting mass 6.5 kg/m2 6.5 kg/m2
Miscellaneous 2.0 kg/m2 2.0 kg/m2
Wind Loading
weff -1.74 kN/m/m# -1.10 kN/m/m#
R* -8.36 kN/m# -5.45 kN/m#
weff +0.85 kN/m/m# +0.85 kN/m/m#
R* +4.25 kN/m# +4.25 kN/m#
#Loads/Design action effects per metre load width

28. Whangarei Dry Mill – Portal Frame Design
• Points of contraflexure define component length & splice
locations
• Sections developed relative to suitability to resist required
design actions
– Bending, Axial and Shear forces
– Relative stiffness controls moment distribution

29. Whangarei Dry Mill – Portal Frame Design
• Reduced rigidity draws less moment to sections
• Ease of in-situ splice with box sections
• Ease of fabrication
• Section kept to depth to breadth ratio of 10
• Flybraces provide lateral restraint
Solid 1050x105 LVL section chosen for lower moment region

30. Whangarei Dry Mill – Portal Frame Design
Box sections chosen for higher moment regions
• Hollow section optimises material usage
• Provide increased lateral stability
• Webs protrude for ease of splicing
• Remnant from R2 used as flange

31. Whangarei Dry Mill – Box Beam Design
Critical Design Actions – R3
Load Case M*
kNm
N*c
kN
N*t
kN
V*
kN
1.35G -259.0 34.9 46.7
0.9G+Wu 541.0 -114.0 100.0
1.2G+Wu -589.0 103.0 122.0
Note: Flybraces at purlins both sides of C4
Design
Action
Lay
mm
Lax
mm
Bending
(+ve)
1600
Bending (-ve) 7020
Compression 1600 24750

32. Whangarei Dry Mill - Splice Design
Critical Design Action Effect – 1.2G+1.5Q (over 200 m2 area)
M*=150.0 kNm N*c=56.6 kN V*=51.9 kN

33. Whangarei Dry Mill – Practical consideration
Use full width of billet:
• Remnant from 1050x105
solid rafter used as flanges
in box beams
• Remnant from 1050x42 2 x-
band webs used as side
wall girts

34. Design and detailing – general tips
Some important considerations in design/detailing:
• For webs and slender sections use x-banded LVL
• Use billet multiples and standard sections where applicable
• Always include fastener spacing and length
• Detail components to be fixed during fabrication
• Seal/paint all primary/main frame members to limit moisture
uptake
• Any lamination of components should include a glue
‘sealant’ to prevent moisture ingress
• Spray paint nail patterns on members in the factory
• Pre-drill holes where applicable

35. Design and detailing – general tips
Some important considerations in design/detailing:
• Any factory fitted gusset connections to be glue nailed
• If using bay lifts, consider stresses applied during
construction at joints
• Always include bracketry under supply of fabrication contract
• Detail brackets to allow for timber tolerances
• Use proprietary brackets where applicable
• Always add moisture barriers to column/mullion base
connections
• Box sections can limit the surfaces available to the effects of
fire
• Use an experienced fabricator

36. Multi-storey building framing

37. Merritt Building

38. Merritt Building

39. Blockhouse Bay Indoor Tennis Centre

40. MOTAT Aviation Hall

41. MOTAT Aviation Hall

42. Diocesan School Pool

43. hySPAN portal frame in QLD, Australia

44. McCormick Centre for the Environment – Renmark, SA
Doweled moment joints with steel fin plates

45. 32 m clear span Composting facility, 10 m bays

46. Mt Eden Normal School – TCC Floors

47. Mt Eden Normal School – TCC Floors

48. Thank you
Contact: CHH Woodproducts
enquiriesaus@chhwoodproducts.com.au
Web: www.chhwoodproducts.com.au
www.chhsoftware.com
Phone: 1800 808 131