Single vs. Double Beams for Mass Timber Construction

Описание: The most common framing configuration for mass timber construction consists of single glulam beams on column grid, supporting mass timber floor/roof panels. These beams usually only extend between adjacent columns, and are attached to the columns with hangers or via a notch seat into the column face. However, An alternative to the single beam system is the double beam system. With the double beam system, 2 beams are on each column grid, usually each just set off a small distance from column centerline and each supporting the mass timber floor/roof panel.

Although the double beam system may not be the most efficient system for all mass timber projects, it is worth evaluating. Some noted benefits include the ability to cantilever the beams beyond the column without needing to run the beam over the top of the column; smaller beam cross sections which could result in more "stock" member sizes; and simplified connections, often just relying on notches into the column and fasteners for stability and eccentricity.

In this video, I share a conversation I had with Rens Hayes of H+O Structural Engineering, a Boston-based engineering firm. They are working on a project which broke ground in the summer of 2021, 11 E Lenox in Boston, a 7-story mass timber, passive house, multi-family building which uses the double beam framing system. In this conversation, we discuss the reasons that the double beam system was chosen for this project.

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Ricky McLain is a structural engineer and mass timber specialist at WoodWorks. This video and this channel are based purely on Ricky's own observations, experiences and opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinion nor beliefs of WoodWorks.

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Thumbnail credit: Monte French Design Studio and H+O Structural Engineering

Project AEC/Development Team: Patrick Haydon (Haycon), Monte French (Monte French Design Studio), Rens F. Hayes IV, P.E. (H+O Structural Engineering), Eli Gould (QWEB)