Fire Design of Mass Timber Connections: Detailing Strategies and Compliance Paths

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This course provides architects, engineers and general contractors with a practical overview of fire design considerations for mass timber connections in buildings of all types and sizes. Participants will examine common connection types—concealed steel hardware, panel joints, timber-to-timber interfaces, and exposed steel elements—through the lens of fire safety and code compliance. The session explores detailing strategies that support passive fire protection, including the use of char calculations, encapsulation materials, sealants, and connection geometry. Emphasis will be placed on the 2024 IBC fire-resistance provisions, with notes on compatibility with earlier code editions. The session will also examine available databases to further equip design professionals with the tools necessary to make informed decisions about fire-resistance connections for mass timber projects.

Location:: Online
Date/Time:: September 10, 2025 | 3:00pm-4:00pm ET
Credits:: Attendees can earn 1.0 AIA/CES HSW LUs, 1.0 PDH credit or 0.10 ICC credit

Bonus content – Attendees are invited to stay after for the webinar for a non-accredited bonus session featuring WoodWorks Partner Rotho Blaas USA INC for a manufacturer Q&A. Learn more about their products and services and how they can be a resource on your next project.

Speaker

David Barber, Principal | Arup

David specializes in the fire safety of timber buildings and for more than 25 years has assisted and enabled the growth and development of timber construction, including fire testing, developing new timber technologies, authoring fire safety design guides, changing building codes and standards, working with timber product suppliers and completing fire safety solutions for low, mid-rise and high-rise timber buildings. David works with architects, engineers, developers, researchers, suppliers, and approval agencies to achieve fire-safe construction of sustainable timber structures. His project experience spans over ten countries—with current projects on mass timber buildings located throughout the US and internationally.