The American Wood Council has released an updated version of its Connection Calculator. The Calculator supports users by calculating capacities for single bolts, nails, lag screws and wood screws based on the provisions of the 2024 National Design Specification for Wood Construction.
Key updates include:
- Design provisions for calculating fastener head pull-through for nails and wood screws
- Addition of explicit lateral design provisions for smooth shank metal hardware nails and deform shank nails, including Roof Sheathing Ring Shank nails and Post-Frame Ring Shank nails
- Removal of the diaphragm factor for nailed connections in Chapter 11 (included in the 2021 Special Design Provisions for Wind & Seismic)
- Determine both lateral (single and double shear) and withdrawal capacities
- Adjustment factors for temperature, wet service, varying load durations and end grain
- Calculate multiple types of connections including wood-to-wood, wood-to-concrete and wood-to-steel using sawn lumber, glued laminated timber, cross-laminated timber and wood structural panels.
The updates to the Connection Calculator follow last year’s updates to the AWC Heights and Areas Calculator which is based on the provisions in the 2021 International Building Code. The updated version now includes the new Type-IV mass timber construction types and heights and areas specific to the 2019 California Building Code.
