Expanding Mass Timber Opportunities Through Testing and Code Development

Fire testing conducted to justify provisions for three new mass timber construction types in the 2021 I-Codes was performed using an earlier generation of cross-laminated timber (CLT). U.S. model building codes now require compliance with the enhanced fire performance criteria of PRG 320-18. To investigate fire-safe implementation of visible mass timber in tall buildings constructed with PRG 320-18-compliant CLT, the U.S. Forest Service funded a 2-year research program starting in 2019. Test results and conclusions from this research program are presented in this webinar, followed by a discussion of ways in which the test results are being applied in tall mass timber building design and regulation.