[CCMC 11161-R] CCMC Canadian code compliance evaluation

It is the opinion of the Canadian Construction Materials Centre that the evaluated product, when used as structural composite lumber (SCL) in accordance with the conditions and limitations stated in this evaluation, complies with the following code:

National Building Code of Canada 2015

Ontario Building Code

Ruling No. 05-18-142 (11161-R) authorizing the use of this product in Ontario, subject to the terms and conditions contained in the Ruling, was made by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing on 2006-01-31 (revised 2017-09-19) pursuant to s.29 of the Building Code Act, 1992 (see Ruling for terms and conditions). This Ruling is subject to periodic revisions and updates.

The above opinion(s) is/are based on the evaluation by the CCMC of technical evidence provided by the evaluation holder, and is bound by the stated conditions and limitations. For the benefit of the user, a summary of the technical information that forms the basis of this evaluation has been included.

Product name

Parallam®PSL

Product description

The product is a parallel strand lumber (PSL), which is a type of SCL manufactured from strands of wood species or species combinations coated with a phenol formaldehyde based adhesive. The wood species, species combinations and adhesive used are as specified in the product manufacturing standards. Strands are oriented to the length of the member and fed into a continuous press. The material is compressed and cured with microwave energy. See Figure 1 for strand orientation details.

The product is available in cross sections up to 280 mm × 1 372 mm and lengths up to 20.2 m. Some cross sections may have had a secondary lamination. The minimum product thickness (perpendicular to the wide face of the strand) is 44 mm.

Independent third-party monitoring and inspection is conducted by PFS Corporation, Los Angeles, California and/or by Intertek Testing Services (ITS) NA Ltd., Coquitlam, British Columbia.

Manufacturing plants

This evaluation is limited to products produced at the following plants:

Product evaluated by the CCMC Indicates that the product from this manufacturing facility has been evaluated by the CCMC

The CCMC’s compliance opinion is bound by this product being used in accordance with the conditions and limitations set out below.

• The product, as with all SCL, is intended for dry service applications only.^{Footnote (1)}
• The product is intended for use in construction as an alternative material to lumber. Proprietary design values presented for the product are to be used by professional engineers for design in accordance with CSA O86-14, for structural applications such as beams, headers, joists, rafters and columns as intended by the product manufacturer. The specific application must be qualified through testing and validated by the manufacturer. Applications such as I-joist flanges, studs and metal-plated truss chords are beyond the scope of this evaluation.
  1. Manufacturer’s pre-engineered tables^{Footnote (2)}

     The pre-engineered tables in the documents listed below have been provided to the CCMC by the manufacturer to demonstrate compliance with Part 9 of the NBC 2015 for acceptance by the local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).

     When the product is used to support uniform loads only, the installation must be in accordance with the tables and installation details in the following documents published by Weyerhaeuser:

     1. “Beams, Headers, and Columns (TJ-9500) (Limit States Design for Eastern Canada),” June 2019; or
     2. “Headers, Beams, and Columns (TJ-9505) (Limit States Design for Western Canada),” June 2019.
         

     Except where a floor is required to support a concentrated load or a specified unfactored live load in excess of 1.9 kN/m² and in lieu of the engineering design, the spans for the product, when used as floor joists, rafters and beams, may conform to the spans for Select Structural Grade for the Douglas Fir – Larch group in Tables 9.23.4.2-A to 9.23.4.2-I of the NBC 2015. Maximum deflections must conform to Subsection 9.4.3., Deflections, of Division B of the NBC 2015. Floor joists must be designed to meet the deflection and vibration set in the NBC for lumber.
     
     The product must be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation guidelines noted in the above-referenced documents for those applications falling within the scope of the documents. Applications outside the scope of these installation guidelines require engineering on a case-by-case basis.
     
     When used in heavy timber construction, the fire-resistance rating of the product members may be determined by following the equations developed for glued-laminated timber in Appendix D-2.11., Glue-Laminated Timber Beams and Columns, of Division B of the NBC 2015.
     
     Intertek Testing Services considers the product an equivalent to lumber floor joists with respect to fire-resistance rating for equivalent member sizes and spacing within a rated floor assembly (see the ITS Directory of Listed Products).

  2. Manufacturer’s installation details

     The manufacturer’s pre-engineered details within the documents outlined in i. above are limited in scope to building designs where the anticipated loads on the following structural details are not exceeded:

     • floor and/or snow pounds per lineal foot (plf) tables (pages 10-11 of (1), and pages 8-9 of (2));
     • beam installation details (pages 12-13 of (1) and pages 10-11 of (2));
     • allowable holes in beams (page 14 of (1) and page 12 of (2));
     • beam connection details (pages 17-18 of (1) and pages 15-16 of (2));
     • multiple member connections for side-loaded beams (pages 16-17 of (1) and pages 14-15 of (2));
     • multiple member connections for top-loaded beams (page 18 of (1) and page 16 of (2)); and
     • columns (page 19 of (1) and page 17 of (2)).
        

     In the attachment of the product, nails and bolts must be used and installed in accordance with the manufacturer sizing and spacing specifications.

  3. Engineering required

     For structural applications beyond the scope and limitations of the above-referenced manufacturer publications or when required by the AHJ, the drawings or related documents must bear the authorized seal of a professional engineer, or other certified authority approved by the AHJ, skilled in wood design and licensed to practice under the appropriate provincial or territorial legislation.

     The engineer must design in accordance with CSA O86-14 and may use as a guide Engineering Guide for Wood-Frame Construction, published by the Canadian Wood Council.

     The specified strengths and fastener limits for the product must not exceed the values set forth in Table 1 and Table 3, respectively.

     The ends of all beams must be restrained to prevent rollover. This is normally achieved by attaching diaphragm sheathing either to the top or the compression edge, and to an end wall or shear transfer panel capable of transferring a minimum unfactored load of 730 N/m or required shear forces due to wind or seismic conditions. The compression edges of all beams must be continuously laterally supported at least every 610 mm, except when the design is done in accordance with CSA O86-14.

  4. Engineering support provided by manufacturer

     Weyerhaeuser may provide engineering services in conjunction with Weyerhaeuser product specifications and offers the following support contact number for its Canadian offices: 888-453-8358.

• This product must be identified with the phrase “CCMC 11161-R” along the side of the product. This CCMC number is only valid when it appears in conjunction with the WHI certification mark of Intertek Testing Services and/or the mark of PFS Corporation.

This evaluation is based on demonstrated conformance with the following criteria:

The evaluation holder has submitted technical documentation for the CCMC's evaluation. Testing was conducted at laboratories recognized by the CCMC. The corresponding technical evidence for this product is summarized below. Technical evidence provided in Appendix A shows some properties were tested in accordance with a previous edition of CSA O86 and are applicable to CSA O86-14.

Design requirements

Manufacturing quality assurance program

The manufacturing quality assurance program has been updated to include requirements specified in ASTM D 5456-14b, “Standard Specification for Evaluation of Structural Composite Lumber Products,” and has been verified by independent, third-party monitoring and inspection conducted by PFS Corporation and Intertek Testing Services NA Ltd. as part of the product certification.

Appendix A - additional information

The design values obtained from testing to ASTM D 5456 as specified in CSA O86 are summarized below.