Product Design

Strength and Performance

Design values and performance for Red-I™ joists, RedLam™ LVL, RedBuilt™ open-web trusses and glulam beams assume that products are untreated and used in standard temperature ranges and dry conditions. For more information see Environmental and Treatment Limitations.

Properly specified, glulam beams may be treated. Contact the American Wood Preservers' Association, the Western Wood Preservers' Institute or Technical Support.

The integrity and safe use of any manufactured structural product can be seriously impaired if it is damaged. Do not attempt to install or repair any damaged product. Contact RedBuilt™ Technical Support if any damage is noted.

There are several criteria that are used to measure the strength of structural members. A simple-span member can potentially "fail" by breaking or buckling in the middle of the span (a bending failure), breaking near a support (a shear failure), crushing at a support (a bearing failure in a beam), or breaking at a support (a reaction failure in an I-joist).

Another criterion used to measure performance is deflection (i.e. does the product bend too much).

Loads

Consult your local building code or building official for all appropriate loads. Live load is the weight of everything moveable on a structural member, including environmental loads such as wind, earthquake and snow. Live loads also include, but are not limited to, furniture, people and automobiles. Dead load is the permanent weight of a structure, including all building materials, fixtures, etc.

Links to topics:

• Floor Load

• Roof Load

• Concentrated Loads

• Load Duration

• Partial Loading

• Load Combinations

• Continuous Member

• Member Weight