Overview of Design Issues for Tall Timber Buildings

Timber buildings, like any others, exhibit exemplary performance when materials are used appropriately, when structural forms and construction details address overload and serviceability requirements, and when geometry and interior layouts address fire safety. Many building codes restrict timber buildings to four and six storeys, reflecting societal consciousness of effects of conflagrations like the Great Fire of London in 1666. However, the regulatory landscape is changing to recognize contemporary capabilities to detect, suppress and contain fires within buildings. This is freeing architects and engineers to fully exploit structural capabilities of timber as a construction material. On the basis of the notion that tall modern timber buildings means those of approximately 10 storeys to a maximum of about 20 storeys, this paper is a commentary on the main structural engineering issues and how to address them systemically.