Timber Design Self-Study

[AriStructural]

Hi all,

I've been browsing this forum for a couple of years and I've finally decided to join. I'm a structural engineering student and I want to learn timber or wood design. What book do you guys recommend me? I live in California and every where you look you see residential buildings with timber structures.

Any input would be highly appreciated.
Thanks,

AriStructural

 

[jayrod12]

Design of Wood Structures by Donald Breyer.

I also highly recommend getting a summer job framing houses as the knowledge gained from that is immeasurable when it comes to making constructable details.

 

[SlideRuleEra]

Jayrod12 named the best book. A couple of other low-cost books to go with it are:

Wood Handbook: Wood As An Engineering Material (Free) from the USDA Forest Product Labs

Wood Engineering - German Gurfinkel

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

http://www.VacuumTubeEra.net

 

[Lomarandil]

Agreed with what is posted above. Also, the APA has a number of great free resources, especially once you've gotten a grasp on the basics from Breyer and are looking at constructability.

 

[SlideRuleEra]

Another great book for self-study is Residential Structural Design Guide: 2000 Edition (free download)
Be sure to get this one.

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

http://www.VacuumTubeEra.net

 

[AriStructural]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!! I just ordered the Design of Wood Structures by Donald Breyer. I took Jayrod's advice to the chin and I will try to find a framing job this summer. Nothing beats hands-on experience + textbook knowledge.

I really don't want to start a new thread for another question, but any suggestion for foundation design books?

 

[AriStructural]

I just learned Tomlinson - Foundation Design and Construction is a great Foundation book.

Cheers everyone

 

[bridgebuster]

Principles of Foundation Engineering by Braja M. Das