![]() ![]() Īnd today’s modern wood-frame and mass timber buildings have a proven fire safety record. Wood’s strength and ability to flex make it well-suited to withstanding earthquakes, when combined with good seismic design. A single Douglas-fir square, 9 cm x 9 cm, can support nearly 10 tons in tension and compression.Ĭonsequently, despite their lighter weight, wood products can withstand considerable force-particularly when compression and tension forces are exerted parallel to the wood’s grain. Wood products can withstand considerable force-particularly when compression and tension forces are exerted parallel to the wood’s grain. When converted to wood products, these cells continue to deliver lightweight, nimble, structural solutions with a strength comparable to other building materials. Cell walls are made of cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose. It is the unique elongated design of these cell walls that gives wood its structural fortitude. This is possible because wood is made up of long, thin, strong cells. ![]() Trees can tolerate great forces inflicted by wind, weather, and natural disasters. They demonstrate wood is a naturally strong, lightweight, durable, and resilient material that has stood the test of time. Left: Steveston Fire Hall interior | Photo courtesy hcmaĪncient wood buildings continue to stand including 8th-century Japanese temples, 11th-century Norwegian stave churches, and the many medieval post-and-beam structures of England and Europe. Other examples include Qualicum Beach Fire Hall, Prince George RCMP Detachment, the Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue Station and the District of Saanich Fire Station #2 Redevelopment soon to be under construction. The two-storey structure consists of a glue-laminated (glulam)-post-and-beam system with engineered wood trusses and cross-laminated timber (CLT) for the roof and canopy decking. The courtyard functions as an outdoor training facility, a gathering place for crew members and shelter from the strong westerly prevailing winds. The facility provides space for up to 58 staff, storage areas for firefighting equipment and three classrooms to support field training. One such example is the Merritt Fire Zone Office and Provincial Wildfire Training Centre. These buildings are designed to meet post-disaster standards and able to resist seismic forces 1.3 to 1.5 times that of a regular building. ![]() Increasingly, these facilities are being built with wood, offering natural resilience and durability in the face of earthquakes, wind, and even fire. This includes energy centres, supportive infrastructure and hydropower operations centres. Other essential service buildings in BC are also built to post-disaster standards to avoid interruption of critical resources. After an earthquake, the building will, in an ideal scenario, be able to be safely re-entered and used to deliver emergency services. ![]() This means it will be built to a seismic design load that is considerably higher than typical residential or commercial buildings. A post-disaster building or hub is defined as a facility that is essential to the provision of services in the event of a disaster. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |