Mass Timber - A Comprehensive Guide to Materials, Design, and Construction

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aldword

Comprehensive guide to mass timber covering its evolution, forest and climate context, and the full value chain from logs and graded lumber to engineered products such as glulam, CLT, and related composites. Explores fastening systems, building-code considerations, layout and structural concepts, and practical design methodology for gravity and lateral loads. Includes design examples, reviewed questions and exercises, key terms, references, web links, and real-world built case studies with end-user supporting materials.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages30

Reading Time1 h 16 min

AccessFree to download

Part 1: The Evolution of Mass Timber

Chapter 1: From Cedar Longhouses to Mass Timber High Rises

Chapter 2: Forests, Mass Timber, and Climate Change

Part 2: Mass Timber Materials, Products, and Properties

Chapter 3: Wood as a Building Material

Chapter 4: From Log to Graded Lumber

Chapter 5: From Lumber to Laminate – Mass Timber Products

Chapter 6: Mass Timber Fasteners

Part 3: Mass Timber Building Conceptualization

Chapter 7: Mass Timber in the Building Codes

Chapter 8: Mass Timber Building Systems and Their Layout

Part 4: Mass Timber Building Structural Design

Chapter 9: Structural Design Methodology for Mass Timber

Chapter 10: Design of Mass Timber Beams and Panels for Gravity Loads

Chapter 11: Design of Mass Timber Columns and Walls for Gravity Loads

Chapter 12: Mass Timber Systems for Lateral Loads

Chapter 13: Design of Mass Timber Connections

Part 5: Mass Timber Construction Process

Chapter 14: Prior to Construction – Design, Planning, and Procurement

Chapter 15: During Construction – Fabrication and On-Site Processes

Part 6: Mass Timber Built Examples

Case Study 1: John W. Olver Design Building in Amherst, MA

Case Study 2: Brock Commons Tallwood House in Vancouver, BC

Case Study 3: Origine in Québec City, QC

Table of Contents Cover Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page Dedications Forewords Preface Acknowledgements About the Companion Website PART 1: The Evolution of Mass Timber Chapter 1: From Cedar Longhouses to Mass Timber High Rises 1.1 INDIGENOUS BUILDERS 1.2 GREEK AND ROMAN BUILDERS 1.3 MEDIEVAL BUILDERS 1.4 INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION BUILDERS 1.5 NEW WOOD MATERIALS 1.6 A (MASS‐)TIMBER RENAISSANCE: 20TH AND 21 ST CENTURIES 1.7 KEY BUILDINGS AND WOOD STRUCTURES 1.8 THE FUTURE OF MASS TIMBER REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISES KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS WEB LINKS SELECTED REFERENCES Chapter 2: Forests, Mass Timber, and Climate Change 2.1 THE GLOBAL CARBON CYCLE 2.2 STATE OF THE WORLD'S FORESTS 2.3 SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT 2.4 LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT 2.5 CIRCULAR CONSTRUCTION REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISES KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS WEB LINKS SELECTED REFERENCES PART 2: Mass Timber Materials, Products, and Properties Chapter 3: Wood as a Building Material 3.1 TREE STRUCTURE 3.2 WOOD GRAIN AND CELL STRUCTURE 3.3 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES 3.4 WOOD AND WATER 3.5 DURABILITY AND PROTECTION OF WOOD REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISES KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS WEB LINKS SELECTED REFERENCES Chapter 4: From Log to Graded Lumber 4.1 SOLID SAWN WOOD 4.2 DIMENSION LUMBER 4.3 LUMBER GRADING REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISES KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS WEB LINKS SELECTED REFERENCES Chapter 5: From Lumber to Laminate – Mass Timber Products 5.1 MASS TIMBER COMPONENTS: LAMINATIONS AND ADHESIVES 5.2 GLUED LAMINATED TIMBER (GLULAM) 5.3 CROSS‐LAMINATED TIMBER (CLT) 5.4 NAIL‐LAMINATED TIMBER (NLT) AND DOWEL‐LAMINATED TIMBER (DLT) 5.5 WOOD‐CONCRETE COMPOSITES 5.6 STRUCTURAL COMPOSITE LUMBER REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISES KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS WEB LINKS SELECTED REFERENCES Chapter 6: Mass Timber Fasteners 6.1 SCREWS 6.2 NAILS 6.3 DRIFT PINS (DOWELS) AND BOLTS 6.4 PRE‐ENGINEERED PARTS AND CONNECTIONS 6.5 CUSTOM PARTS AND CONNECTIONS 6.6 WOOD‐CONCRETE SHEAR CONNECTORS 6.7 GLUED CONNECTIONS 6.8 CORROSION PROTECTION FOR FASTENERS REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISES KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS WEB LINKS SELECTED REFERENCES PART 3: Mass Timber Building Conceptualization Chapter 7: Mass Timber in the Building Codes 7.1 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE AND STATE CODES 7.2 DETAILING MASS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION 7.3 DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS AND PRODUCT STANDARDS REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISES KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS WEB LINKS SELECTED REFERENCES Chapter 8: Mass Timber Building Systems and Their Layout 8.1 WOOD‐SPECIFIC LAYOUT CONCEPTS (MASS TIMBER TYPOLOGIES) 8.2 BUILDING‐LEVEL LAYOUT CONCEPTS 8.3 LATERAL LOAD‐RESISTING CONCEPTS 8.4 DETAIL‐LEVEL CONCEPTS 8.5 HVAC AND MEP INTEGRATION CONCEPTS 8.6 EXTERIOR WALL AND FAÇADE CONCEPTS 8.7 PROTECTION STRATEGIES REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISES KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS WEB LINKS SELECTED REFERENCES PART 4: Mass Timber Building Structural Design Chapter 9: Structural Design Methodology for Mass Timber 9.1 THE NATIONAL DESIGN SPECIFICATION FOR WOOD CONSTRUCTION 9.2 DESIGN METHODS (ASD AND LRFD) 9.3 WHERE REFERENCE DESIGN VALUES COME FROM 9.4 ADJUSTMENT FACTORS FOR MASS TIMBER 9.5 EXAMPLE CALCULATION OF ADJUSTED DESIGN VALUES REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISES KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS WEB LINKS SELECTED REFERENCES Chapter 10: Design of Mass Timber Beams and Panels for Gravity Loads 10.1 BEAM BEHAVIOR 10.2 DESIGN PROCEDURE 10.3 DESIGN EXAMPLES (ASD) 10.4 PRELIMINARY DESIGN AIDS REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISES KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS WEB LINKS SELECTED REFERENCES Chapter 11: Design of Mass Timber Columns and Walls for Gravity Loads 11.1 AXIAL COMPRESSION MEMBERS 11.2 COMBINED AXIAL COMPRESSION AND BENDING MEMBERS REVIEW QUESTIONS EXERCISES KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS WEB LINKS SELECTED REFERENCES Chapter 12: Mass Timber Systems for Lateral Loads 12.1 LATERAL LOADS 12.2 LATERAL FORCE‐RESISTIN

FAQs

What stages of the mass timber value chain does the book cover?

It covers the evolution from traditional wood structures, the forest and climate context, processing from logs to graded lumber, engineered mass timber products, and construction through design-to-procurement and on-site fabrication processes.

How does the guide address structural design for mass timber?

It presents design methodology for wood construction, including adjustment factors for mass timber, then shows how to design beams and panels, columns and walls, and systems for lateral loads, including connections and detailing.

What practical elements are included for learning and application?

Each chapter includes key terms and concepts, review questions and exercises, web links and selected references, plus built case studies and solutions to chapter questions.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aldword

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