Glulam Building: Start to Finish – Part Three B
Welcome to our “Glulam Building: Start to Finish” series. Our goal is to provide an overview – from idea to completion – of a glulam building, from the perspective of a glulam manufacturer and designer.
Part 3B: Glulam Modeling
With the Basic Layout information set, modeling can begin. Ideally, the locations of all glulam members would be known, including:
- Roof overhang dimensions
- Glulam cantilever dimensions
- Glulam member spacing throughout roofs, floors, and walls
- Any other glulam part locations
With this information, our detailers begin creating a full 3D model of the glulam components in the building. This is an exact model, as precise as the modeling software will allow. This glulam only model will look something like this:
 |
| Screenshot of glulam only 3D mod |
Depending on how complex a project is, and how well defined member locations are on architectural and structural drawings, we will sometimes do a “Geometry Submittal” at this point. Once connection modeling begins, the complexity of our 3D model increases dramatically, making revisions more difficult. So, this is a good time to have the customer and design team confirm that all glulam member sizes and locations are as expected. This submittal can include layout draiwngs of the structure (in PDF format) and/or shared 3D model files (in DWG, STP, SAT, or other formats).
 |
| A relatively simple Geometry Review Submittal |
 |
| One page from a more complex geometry submittal (with review comments) |