I have been doing timber frame structural engineering design for
10-15 years and have run into a
problem with a building department that I have never encountered before.
This building official is saying that we can not use a timber frame as the primary
lateral load resisting Structural System because it is not defined in the
1997 Uniform Building Code, Table 16-N. This is a plan checking service for
El Dorado County Building Department here in California. They are saying I
can use the timber frame system as long as I provide plywood shear walls or
otherwise (SIP's) designed system. I'm just curious if any of you have run into that
anywhere before. Any ideas on how I can argue against this wacko
interpretation?