SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1957
STP38767S

Developments in Softwood Plywood Design and Construction

Source

Developments within the softwood plywood industry which have affected applications of plywood in construction are reviewed. These include the activities of industry, through the Douglas Fir Plywood Assn., in developing quality standards. They also include the program of testing and research on design methods and structural applications carried on by the plywood industry and by the United States Forest Products Laboratory.

Available design procedures are mentioned and the development of working stresses traced. Application of these working stresses is outlined, using approximate design methods for tension, compression, flexure, and shear.

Common structural applications and construction practice are discussed for wall, roof, and floor sheathing, exterior applications, concrete forms, and overlaid plywood. Special structural applications for which plywood is commonly used are also listed, including shear diaphragms, built-up plywood beams, gusset plates for trusses and rigid frames, and stressed-skin panels. Several experimental types of roof structures are also mentioned, including hipped-plates, hyperbolic paraboloids, and elastic arches.

It is concluded that the availability of technical information and the development of adequate quality standards within the past two decades have contributed substantially to the acceptance of plywood as a construction material.

Author Information

Countryman, D
Engineering-Research, Douglas Fir Plywood Assn., Tacoma, Wash.
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Details
Developed by Committee: D07
Pages: 73–85
DOI: 10.1520/STP38767S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5604-3
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-5603-6