Advice
On-site vs off-site fabrication: there can be problems either way.
Focus in
Advice
On-site vs off-site fabrication: there can be problems either way.
Advice
Drill holes in the floors for electrical wiring to pass through and treat the hole to resist fire. Use a mechanical shaft (for example, the garbage disposal chute) to bring electrical wiring together and reduce the amount of work.
Advice
Integrating MEP only after model completion results in significant delay (in one example, material ordering was delayed by 6 weeks).
Advice
Using a single CAD model works well, with collaborative input from all trades (rather than attempting to combine multiple models from the different trades). This opens up more opportunities for accurate pre-drilling.
Advice
A bracing plan is important, and has a large effect on installation. Establish a bracing plan early and integrate it into the connection details. A good bracing plan allows the connections to assist with temporary stability and requires over-designing, but saves time, money, headaches, and patching.
Advice
Plan sequencing for fast placements. Connections often don’t work as a result of placement sequence. For example, more expensive connections can be used (eg Megant-style) where the assembly order doesn’t matter, but if cost is saved on the connections, time is wasted on site with necessary last minute adjustments.
Advice
Installers do not like tight-fit pins (but engineers do).
Advice
In-beds should be in the concrete scope, with blanks in-bed for knife plates to be welded on later.
Advice
Engineers should take care when copying and pasting details from one project to another. Some details cause a lot of installation problems (resulting in increased cost/time).
Advice
Sizing comments: 20’ x 30’ grid spacing is problematic for installation due to panel sizes, double or triple storey walls or columns present unique installation problems, even in terms of coordinating bracing with floor levels. It is difficult to keep 30’+ walls plumb.Dedicated to helping developers, engineers, installers, manufacturers, and more, we help you discover the growing power of mass timber’s functionality, cost-efficiency, and sustainability.
Advice
Installers can offer creative solutions, ideally at the design stage. Projects will proceed more smoothly if advice from experienced installers is not ignored.
Advice
Connection details dictate whether a CLT/mass timber project will actually go up quickly.
Advice
Early discussions should involve all parties: installer, manufacturer, architect, engineer, owner/developer. Design with the people who will build the project, from fabrication to installation.
Advice
Unless you control or understand the flow of material and information from “forest to frame”, you will have blind spots; you will be derailed by cost, schedule, quality, or all three. For…