1. Wood Structural Panels
CE A433 – Spring 2008
T. Bart Quimby, P.E., Ph.D.
University of Alaska Anchorage
Civil Engineering

2. Wood Structural Panel Uses
Structural panels are used for a wide variety of uses including
Sheathing of roofs, floors, and walls to
Transfer pressure loads normal to the surface to supporting framing
Carry shear loads in structural diaphragms
Structural Components such as
Lumber-plywood beams
Various types of panel components
Gusset Plates
Concrete Formwork

3. Sheathing Applications
See figure 8.1 from text
The required panel thickness is a function of the loads applied normal to the surface
Attachment of sheathing is a function of the loads in the plane of the panel (i.e. diaphragm shears)

4. Types of Wood Panels
The principle types of wood panels used in timber construction include:
Plywood
Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
Waferboard
Composite panels
Structural particle board

5. Plywood Made by gluing veneers together Plys have different names
Face
Back
Crossband
Center
Grain direction is alternated by layer
This creates different strengths in each principle direction
Veneers come in different qualities
Dependant on number and types of imperfections

6. Section Properties by Principle Direction
See text figure 8.6
Face Grain

7. More Plywood
Plywood comes in many different thickness and plys.

8. Species Groups Species are grouped together by similar strengths.
See text for the five plywood species groups.

9. Veneer Grades
Veneers come in different levels of quality, based on imperfections.
See text for different grade specifications.

10. Exposure Durability Classifications
U.S. Product Standard PS-1 – Construction and Industrial Plywood Specification
Interior
Exterior
APA Performance-rated panels
Exposure 1: Interior plywood with exterior glue
Exposure 2: Interior panels

11. Plywood Grades There are a large number of grades
Most SHEATHING applications use
C-C Exterior
C-D Exterior 1
C-C STR I
C-D STR 1
The “STR I” grades have added strength properties and are more expensive.
Span ratings give the maximum recommended span lengths for roof and subfloor applications
Assumes strong direction over two or more spans
Must satisfy edge support requirements
Different thickness can result in same span rating

12. Plywood Grade Stamps
See examples in the text (pgs 8.15, 8.18, 8.19, 8.29)
Also see…

13. From APA Website

14. Oriented Strand Board
Made of wood strands or wafers directionally oriented, compressed and bonded by a resin.
Two different surfaces
Grade designated by Performance-based ratings and PS 2

15. Combined Sheathing-Siding
T1-11 is commonly used.
See text figures

16. Two Layer Floor Sheathing
Two Layer System
See text Figure 8.28
Subfloor
The structural support for the floor
Underlayment
Provides a smooth surface for floor
Non Structural
Need to make sure the panel edges don’t align with adjacent layer.
Second number is span rating when used as subfloor

17. Drawing from APA

18. One Layer Floor Sheathing
Must have some means of connecting edges of panels so that they move together
Tongue & Groove
Blocking
Offset underlayment
Lightweight concrete
Thick wood finished flooring

19. Selection of Floor Sheathing
“typical wood structural panel applications for floor sheathing are not controlled by uniform load criteria, but instead are based on deflection under concentrated loads and how the floor feels to building occupants.” (text pg 8.27)
Can use span ratings to select the flooring
See “Guide to Panel Use” (ASD/LRFD Manual for Engineered Wood Construction, Table M9.1-1), and Table M9.2-1 for usage and typical span ratings.

20. Wall Sheathing All edges must be blocked See text Figure 8.16
Architectural panels can be used that are combined sheathing and siding
Details for preventing water infiltration are shown in text figure 8.19c

21. Structural Calculations
Not normally done for sheathing applications
Use span ratings.
The ASD/LRFD Design Manual for Engineered Wood Construction
APA Documents:
Load-Span Tables for APA Structural Use Panels
Panel Design Specification

22. APA Load-Span Tables

23. Sample Allowable Uniform Load Calculations
Should also make shear spreadsheet