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TAFE Timber Education Newsletter 2009 #2 |
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25-May-2009
In this issue of the newsletter:
2009 #2
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Welcome to our second newsletter for 2009. In this edition I've devoted a bit of space explaining the new Australian Standard for construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas. The Standard already applies in Victoria and the ACT and will apply to a lot more existing and new housing from next year in all states and territories.
Please contact me for assistance with obtaining resources or any aspect of teaching timber related units or to update your contact details.
Stephen Mitchell
Co-ordinator, National Timber Education Program - ACT, NSW & SA
p: 02 9279 2366
e:
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Timber & AS 3959-2009 Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas
As mentioned in the last newsletter here is an update on some of the detail in AS3959-2009. The Standard is now legislated in Victoria and the ACT and will be called up in the 2010 edition of the BCA for application in all other states and territories.
AS 3959-2009 is based on construction details appropriate for a variety of Bushfire Attack Levels (BALs). There are now five Bushfire Attack Levels (BALS). BAL-Low, BAL-12.5, BAL-19, BAL-29, BAL-40 and BAL-FZ (flame zone). The BALs are based on an assessment of the potential exposure of the site to ember attack and to radiant heat thresholds, expressed as kW/ m2. For example BAL-29 is primarily concerned with protection from ember attack and from radiant heat up to and including 29 kW/ m2.
For brick veneer homes no special construction requirements are required by AS3959-2009 for the wall or floor frames; and as such all commonly used timber products are appropriate for all wall studs & lintels and floor joists, bearers and flooring.
Generally speaking AS3959-2009 does not impose requirements on the use of any timber that is protected from possible exposure to bushfire attack. For other unprotected building elements these general requirements in each BAL apply:
BAL-LOW, the Standard does not impose any additional requirements and does not impose restrictions on the use of any timber in any element.
BAL-12.5 and BAL-19 requirements can be met by the use of bushfire-resisting timber for some elements, timber with minimum seasoned density of 650 kg/m3 for some elements and timber with minimum seasoned density of 750 kg/m3 for some elements. Timber species which meet these density requirements are listed in the Appendix E of AS3959-2009.
BAL-29 requirements can be met by the use of bushfire-resisting timbers or for some elements by protecting the timber components with sarking, insulation and/or lining.
In BAL-40 and BAL-FZ timber is permitted provided it is part of a system tested according to the method described in AS 1530.8.1 and AS 1530.8.2 respectively.
Bushfire resisting timbers. Seven species are currently defined as bushfire resisting timbers (when >19mm thick):
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Blackbutt
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Spotted Gum
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Silvertop Ash
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Kwila (Merbau)
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Red Ironbark
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River Red Gum
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Turpentine
Tests are currently being conducted on additional species.
There is also some fire-retardant treated timbers that meet the Standards AS3959-1999 and AS3959-2009. Currently these are only for applications where they are not exposed to weathering (under veranda roofing for example) but further applications are under development.
There are a number of new free fact sheets and tables outlining the new Standard and how timber can be used in all the BALS available at
www.timber.org.au
TDANSW is also currently preparing a free CPD Course to help building professionals understand AS 3959-2009 and how/where timber can be used in bushfire prone areas.
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National Carpenters Day 2009 was a great success. Participants enjoyed casual get-togethers and the traditional snag on the barbie. Extensive media coverage featured on both TV and radio including interviews with celebrity ambassador Tom Williams. The auction of the handcrafted classic garden timber bench- as seen on national TV in "9am with David & Kim", raised $285 for the Salvation Army's Bushfire Appeal.
I have a couple of hundred more "Carpenters Nail It Harder" decals to give away if anyone would like some to pass on at career information or TAFE open days. Just contact me.
We'd also like to say a huge thank you to all the carpenters and carpenter's friends involved in nominating people for Carpenter of the Year 2009. Over 170 nominations were received. The judging process is underway and we'll be announcing the winner as soon as it's completed.
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Inspiration - Vespa scooter built out of wood
This Vespa motor scooter was made in ten months by Carlos Alberto and has been carved out of ten different types of wood and even has an original 1957 Vespa engine. Capable of speeds of up to 46 mph, Mr Alberton first hit on the idea in 2001 during a conversation with a fellow Vespa enthusiast, but didn't start work on his labour of love until October 2007.
Covered in a special fire-proof varnish and built using rosewood and ebony woods from Brazil and Mozambique, Mr Alberto's Vespa cost him £2,491, but to him the tiny scooter is priceless. The Vespa weighs nearly 107kg , which is 20kg more than the original 1950's model.
"The most difficult part of the construction process was arranging to find an engine that would equal the 1957 original," says Mr Alberto. So impressive is the wooden scooter that Vespa has been trying to get in contact from Italy and the official Vespa museum in Germany too has expressed serious interest. Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
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Shonky Chinese LVL planks under scrutiny
The Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia (EWPAA) and the CFMEU, Australia's most powerful trade union for workers, have joined forces to alert industry to increasing imports of sub-standard Chinese LVL scaffold planks. This follows EWPAA tests released this month that show these imported scaffold planks have failed requirements of AS/NZS 4357.0 for bond quality and durability.
"The lives of construction workers are threatened by these sub-standard building materials from China that have failed tests for structural and adhesive performance," EWPAA general manger Simon Dorries and CFMEU OH&S coordinator Rick Rech said in a joint statement.
In the latest tests, five Chinese LVL scaffold planks were assessed for bond quality and durability requirements of AS/NZS 4357.0 Structural LVL - Specifications, and for strength requirements of AS1577 - 1993 Scaffold Planks. Three failed tests for bond quality and durability undertaken at the EWPAA national testing laboratory. "Although the samples were limited and did not represent all Chinese LVL plank production, the rise in product failure reports is cause for serious concern," Mr Dorries said. Source:
www.ewpaa.asn.au
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Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme gets international endorsement
On 5 May, the Programme for the Endorsement of Certification (PEFC) announced that the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) had become the first tropical timber certification scheme in the Asia- Pacific region to be endorsed by the Programme. PEFC promotes sustainable forest management - environmentally, socially beneficial and economically viable management of forests for present and future generations - through independent third party forest certification.
The endorsement allows the MTCS to gain international recognition with 26 other certification schemes (including the Australian Forestry Certification Scheme) under the PEFC.
While Australia only imports a small amount of sawnwood products from Malaysia, the endorsement by PEFC of the Malaysian scheme gives buyers confidence about tropical wood from Malaysian certified forests. Currently 141 timber manufacturers and exporters have been awarded the chain-of-custody certificate which qualifies them to supply MTCS-certified timber products to the market. Source:www.pefc.org.au
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Update on Progress of AS 1684 Revisions
The technical revisions to the AS 1684 series of standards are nearing completion and it is expected the revised documents will be released for combined public review and committee postal ballot before the end of May/early June.
The revisions incorporate the outcomes from 3 R&D projects on simplified tie-down - which recognises and provides details for ring beam construction, noggings - with relaxed nogging placement provisions including permitting their use on edge and EWP's - which incorporates an informative Appendix on the generic building practices appropriate to the use of I beams and LVL etc.
There is also the possibility that some span tables may have to be revised for MGP grades as there have been some structural property adjustments in the grades arising out of the revisions to AS 1720.1 Timber Structures Code.
The next meeting of the framing code committee will be held in August 2009 to consider the feedback from the public review and it is anticipated the new editions of AS 1684 will be called up in BCA 2010.
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Even More Educational Resources
The web site
www.timber.org.au
has a large range of resources for use in education relating to the use of timber in buildings.
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Teaching Resources - information for teachers including downloadable PowerPoint presentations on applications, properties, production, AS1684, multi-residential timber framing, cladding as well as timber stairs manual.
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Learning Resources - information for students including applications, properties, production, durability, specifications, manufactured wood products, connections as well as 18 case studies of timber in use.
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Reference Resources - for teachers and students including timber flooring (installation guide), timber construction in bushfire prone areas through to structural timber design guides.
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The following educational resources are available through the Timber Development Association at no or small
cost. We also have a more extensive list of publications available from our website,
www.timber.net.au, which may aid your teaching.
Acceptable Standards of Domestic Construction
This excellent resource has been revised to address the most recent developments in construction and timber
design. The recommended retail price is $25. For bulk purchases of one box (30 books) we are offering the books at the reseller price.
Australian Hardwood and Cypress Manual
The Hardwood and Cypress manual is a must have for all specifiers and for anyone teaching timber
related subjects. The Manual is split into four sections: an introduction, a technical and detailing
guide, a set of species guides, and application guides.
We have recently found a few more hardcopies and CDs of the manual when we moved our storage unit. Contact me if you'd like a free copy. It is also available for free download from
www.timber.net.au.
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Timber Framing Multi-Resource CD
This free all-in-one CD contains teaching resources for the following topics:
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Resource
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Introduction to timber framing (video)
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Video
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Timber framing
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Interactive construction game
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Bracing and Tie-down Desin - 4 case studies
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PowerPoint
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Using AS16884.2 span tables
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PowerPoint
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Introduction timber construction
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PowerPoint
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Timber stairs, balustrades & handrails manual
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PDF
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Timber wall cladding systems
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PowerPoint
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Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD)
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PowerPoint
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Occupation health & safety (OH&S)
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PowerPoint
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Timber truss installation (update)
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PowerPoint
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This program is funded by the timber industry through Forest and Wood Products Australia
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