timber frame engineering council tfec
 


Timber Frame Engineering Council Library

Interpretation and appropriate use of the information presented in this Library is the responsibility of the user. Neither the TFEC nor its members assume any responsibility for the information contained in this library of documents or liability from its use.

Table of Contents - Click on any heading to read

  
 
 
 

Timber Frame Engineering Council (TFEC) By-Laws

Download A Copy: Click here to download a PDF document of the TFEC By-Laws

  
 
 
 

TFEC Practice Bulletins

These Practice Notes have been developed by the Timber Frame Engineering Council as a source of advice to structural engineers on practice-related issues, where often there is little other advice available. The notes are intended to inform TFEC Members about issues that may affect them in various ways and in various capacities.

The following downloads require Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Acrobat Reader.

  
 
 
 

TFEC Technical Bulletins

The Technical Bulletins of the Timber Frame Engineering Council provide guidance concerning the building performance standards of the TFEC. These bulletins are intended for use primarily by structural engineers, design professionals, and builders for interpreting and understanding issues in the timber frame engineering process as well as other pertinent information relating to the design of timber frame structures.

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TFEC Technical Bulletins - Policy & Procedures

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TFEC Technical Bulletins - Template

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Technical Bulletin Review Form A1

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Technical Review Form Summary

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TFEC Research Reports

The Timber Frame Engineering Council provides the following research information in the area of structural engineering of timber frame structures.

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TFEC 1 - Standard for Design of Timber Frame Structures

The Timber Frame Engineering Council developed this Standard to define the engineering and design requirements for timber frame construction. A timber frame shall be regarded as a structural building frame system or a portion thereof that is composed of heavy timber members in which connections between interlocking members are created by carpenter-style joinery using wood pegs and wood wedges.

This Standard is not intended to preclude use of other materials, assemblies, structures or designs not meeting the criteria herein, provided it is demonstrated by analysis based on recognized theory, full scale or prototype loading tests, studies of model analogues or extensive experience in use that the material, assembly, structure or design will perform satisfactorily in its intended end use.

This Standard is intended as a supplement to provisions of the National Design Specification for Wood Construction (ANSI/AF&PA NDS©, Reference 1). In the event of conflicts or contradictory requirements between this Standard and the NDS©, the provisions of the latter specification shall apply.

Download a Copy of TFEC 1-2010 Standard Here • Download a copy of the TFEC 1-2010 Commentary Here

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Timber Frame General Notes

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Timber Frame Master Spec

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TFEC Member Publications

  • Ed Levin - The following bibliography contains entries of archival materials. Back issues of Timber Framing can be purchased from the Timber Framer's Guild website. Historic American Roof Trusses can also be found at the TF Guild site. Other listings can be found online or directly from publishers.

    • "Working with Heavy Timbers", Fine Woodworking No. 17, July/August 1979
    • "Tools for Timber Framing", Fine Homebuilding No. 4, August/September 1981
    • "Sizing Roughsawn Joists and Beams", Fine Homebuilding No. 7, February/March 1982
    • "The Fairbanks House", Fine Homebuilding No. 13, February/March, 1983
    • “French Scribe Rule”, Timber Framing, No. 8, May, 1988
    • "Curved Timber", Fine Homebuilding No. 48, August/September, 1988
    • “Wood for the Future”, Timber Framing, No. 10, November, 1988
    • “Forester Sets Out Rational Long-Term Management Goal”, Timber Framing, No. 15, February, 1990
    • “Hip and Valley Framing I-III”, Timber Framing, No. 17, September, 1990, No. 19, March 1991, No. 21, September 1991
    • “Breaking New Ground”, Timber Framing, No. 22, 1, December 1991
    • “Framing the Cabildo Roof”, Timber Framing, No. 23, March 1992
    • “Engineering the Speed River Bridge”, Timber Framing, No. 25, September 1992
    • “Russian Reflections”, Timber Framing, No. 26, December 1992
    • “Joinery Decisions”, Timber Framing, No. 27, March 1993
    • “Frame Engineering”, Timber Framing, No. 30, December 1993
    • “The Globe Theatre” Timber Framing No. 31, March 1994
    • “Joint Engineering I-II”, Timber Framing, No. 38, December 1995, No. 39, March 1996
    • "Sizing Roughsawn Joists and Beams", “Hip and Valley Framing I-III”, “Frame Engineering” and “Joint Engineering I-II” can also be found in the Timber Frame Joinery & Design Workbook, published by the Timber Framers Guild
    • "Sizing Roughsawn Joists and Beams", "A Timber Frame in the Hudson Valley" (see below), "Tools for Timber Framing", "The Fairbanks House" and "Curved Timber" can also be found in Timber-Frame Houses, Taunton Press, 1992 (articles starting on pages 26, 34, 39, 44, 126)
    • “Building the Lexington Bellifortis” Timber Framing No. 44, June 1997
    • “Hammer-Beam Roofs I-II”, Timber Framing No. 48, June 1998, No. 49, September, 1998
    • “The Highland Fling”, Timber Framing No. 50, December, 1998
    • “Building the Norwell Crane”, Timber Framing No. 64, June, 2002
    • “A Geometric Approach to Joinery”, Log Building News No. 40, December 2002
      Historic American Roof Trusses, funded by a grant from the National Park Service:“Historic Scissor Truss Analysis”, Timber Framing No. 69, September, 2003 Historic American Roof Trusses, “Historic Queenpost Truss Analysis”, Timber Framing No. 71, March, 2004 Historic American Roof Trusses, “Kingpost Truss Engineering”, Timber Framing No. 73, September, 2004 Historic American Roof Trusses, “Composite and Raised Bottom Chord Truss Engineering”, Timber Framing No. 74, December, 2004
    • “Engineering Allenstown” and “Recovering Allenstown”, Timber Framing No. 77, September, 2005

    • Book Coauthor:
      Historic American Roof Trusses, Jan Lewandoski et al., Timber Framers Guild, 2006 - Click here to purchase

    • About Paradigm Builders:
    • Boston Sunday Globe, December 5, 1976, pp. 33,40
    • Woodcraft Supply Catalog, Fall 1979 - Winter 1980, front and back covers
    • "The Man Who Frames the Past", New Hampshire Profiles, Vol. XXX No. 1, March/April 1981
    • The New York Times, December 25, 1981, pp. 11,13
    • The Boston Globe, November 19, 1984, pp. 53,56
    • "Restoring the ring to the Old North Church, Fine Woodworking No. 49, November/December 1984, p. 114
    • "A Timber Frame in the Hudson Valley", Fine Homebuilding No. 45, Special Houses Issue, Spring 1988
    • "Reflections of a Timber Framer", Design Spirit, vol. II No. 1, Winter/Spring 1990
    • “Hearth of the Home”, Home, Volume XLI Number 10, December 1995/January 1996
    • “Healthy Home – A Nurturing Environment”, Healthy Living, May, 1998, pp. 78-83
    • “Built for the Stars”, Fine Homebuilding, No. 136, January 2001, Back Cover
    • “Finishing Touches – A Tradition Everyone Can Admire” & “Raising the Roof in a Big Way”, Fine Homebuilding, No. 137, March 2001, pp. 122-123 & Back Cover
    • “A Forest for the Using, Inside and Out”, Valley News, February 23, 2002.. Pages C1, C3 & C5
      Kicking Horse River Covered Bridge, Timber Framing, No. 62, December, 2001, Front Cover & pp. 4-5
      Dartmouth Skiway Base Lodge, Timber Framing, No. 62, December, 2001, Back Cover
    • “Far East in Colorado”, Western Interiors and Design, July/Aug 2003 House Beautiful, March 2006, p. 94
    • “User Profile - Paradigm Builders”, Multiframe News

  • Jim DeStefano, Dirk M. Kestner, P.E.; Jennifer Goupil, P.E.; Emily Lorenz, P.E. - Sustainability Guidelines for the Structural Engineer - To purchase: www.asce.org

  • Joseph F. Miller and Richard J. Schmidt
    Capacity of Pegged Mortise and Tenon Joinery     (PDF Download)


  • Richard J. Schmidt (and Christopher E. Daniels)
    Design Considerations of Mortise and Tennon Connections     (PDF Download)

  • Richard J. Schmidt (and Robert B. MacKay)
    Timber Frame Tension Joinery (PDF Download)

  • Richard J. Schmidt (and Garth F. Scholl)
    Load Duration and Seasoning Effects on Mortise & Tennon Joinery (PDF Download)

  • (Robert G. Erikson) and Richard J. Schmidt
    Behavior of Traditional Timber Framed Structures Subjected to Lateral Load (PDF Download)

  
 
 
 

TFEC Miscellaneous Notes

These Notes have been developed by the Timber Frame Engineering Council as a source of advice to structural engineers on design-related issues.

The following downloads require Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Acrobat Reader.

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Engineer's Resource List

This Resource List, compiled by Russell Ley, brings together as much reference material as possible on the subject of timber framing engineering and related disciplines.

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TFEC Resources

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© 2012 Timber Frame Engineering Council
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Alstead, New Hampshire • 03602-0295 USA
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