Wood Frame, Steel Frame?

[x635 4,066]

I've never seen construction like this. Steel frame on first floor, with lightweight wood trusses supporting a wood frame on top. Portions (besides the elevator shaft) are also concrete block. And in some portions of the first floor, (not where the cars are parked), lightweight wood trusses and plywood are the base of the first floor.

What kind of construction is this when you call a size up? I've never quite seen a mix like this. Seems like you would be forced to go on a lightweight truss roof if you were searching the floor above. When this is built, looks can be deceiving.

[Bnechis 3,961]

Where is this building?

[antiquefirelt 994]

I'd call it lightweight woodframe (likely protected at some point). Using the least desirable construction at least indicates your concern, but without a doubt, these are the kinds of things a decent building info plan can identify and flag. It's not uncommon for mixed construction types to be utilized, but this limits the allowances to the least common denominator.

In all likelihood the occupancy type allows woodframe construction, but the open sides at the ground level require steel to carry the loads without continuous bearing walls.

[x635 4,066]

Where is this building?

Rochester, NY.....Mount Hope Ave/Elmwood Ave adjacent to Strong Memorial Hospital and University Of Rochester....it's a mixed use development.

http://www.collegetownrochester.com/about/

[on the job 68]

Lightweight wood frame, meant to burn, cheap, replace when it burns, firefighters nightmare.......is that in the building code books???

[Morningjoe 162]

I almost feel that changing Type V construction to read "legacy wood" and adding a Type 6 for "light weight wood truss" would benefit classification, and building identity.

Edited March 8, 2014 by Morningjoe

[antiquefirelt 994]

I almost feel that changing Type V construction to read "legacy wood" and adding a Type 6 for "light weight wood truss" would benefit classification, and building identity.

Without a doubt some of the characteristics Type V was known for have been eliminated or minimized by the proliferation of lightweight/engineered wood products.

[efermann 28]

In Ossining, a similar building has gone up and is just about finished, I think. The attached photo was taken last summer when my kids and I went to watch the modular components being placed on top of the steel frame underneath. It's going to be mixed use (stores at street level, residential units above). The two floors of pre-built modular components went on over a weekend and maybe one extra day.

[16fire5 693]

The concept of mixing steel, masonry, and wood to make a structure is hardly new. The H types of the Bronx that probably started to be built about 100 years ago were able to surpass the size of their predecessors the old law tenements by using steel I beams both horizontally and vertically. The buildings consist of a masonry exterior, with steel I beams horizontally and vertically spaced supporting wood floor and roof joists. They are ordinary construction.

The difference is the new buildings is today's wood. Notice I didn't just single out lightweight components because today's dimensional lumber has been shown to fail much earlier than the traditional lumber of the past.

Dunn and Branigan implored us to realize the difference between a structure and a contents fire and calling all jobs a structure fire was incorrect. Once the fire is attacking the structural components we're on borrowed time. The operational window with today's lumber even dimensional is nil.

The only way we should tolerate those materials today is if they are protected behind fire rated drywall and the structure is protected with automatic sprinklers.

Seth's pictures illustrate a good and inexpensive drill. Take pictures of buildings under construction in your area and have a good discussion on how we will operate when it catches on fire. Many of today's recruits don't have the slightest idea what a building looks like underneath the sheathing and sheet rock.

[everybodygoes 331]

Saw a building in queens the other day, had TJI in the middle, and lightweight steel on the ends, need to go back and do some recon. Couldn't figure out why you would build like that.

[x635 4,066]

In Ossining, a similar building has gone up and is just about finished, I think. The attached photo was taken last summer when my kids and I went to watch the modular components being placed on top of the steel frame underneath. It's going to be mixed use (stores at street level, residential units above). The two floors of pre-built modular components went on over a weekend and maybe one extra day.

Just noticed a hotel going up using the same construction as your photo/description above:

[x635 4,066]

Another portion of the structure rising, with even more mix of lightweight wood construction and steel and concrete.

I love how they had to snow blow over a foot of snow and ice off the third floor two days after the stro,....I wonder it that moisture will have any long term effect,

[TimesUp 148]

My brother in law is from Rochester. Now it all makes sense

[x635 4,066]

And this is the roof/cockloft:

[SageVigiles 1,194]

I'll do one better. Right now in New Haven they are building a apartment complex out of connex boxes.

[Guest]

I'll do one better. Right now in New Haven they are building a apartment complex out of connex boxes.

Where in New Haven?

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Ella Grasso Boulevard near 95. There's some ball fields on the left just before the highway. If I remember to stop next time I'm in that neighborhood I'll snap some shots.