Books & Publications by DeStefano & Chamberlain
Antique New England Homes and Barns – History, Restorations, and Reinterpretation – Jim DeStefano, P.E., AIA, F. SEI
There is something about antique homes and their hard-working barns that captures the imagination. Maybe it’s their pleasing proportions, maybe they remind us of a simpler time, or maybe we sense that these venerable old survivors that were built when our country was young have seen it all. But how many of us have bothered to listen to the stories they tell or tried to understand what makes them tick? This book reveals the essence of antique New England homes and barns—their history, the people who built them, why they were built that way, and how to restore them, piece by piece, without losing their character. Learn to identify architectural styles from different periods, how to strategize a restoration, and how to approach it systematically, from the timber frame to the floors, walls, and ceilings, windows and doors, wiring, finishes, and landscaping
Timber Structures - Tales of Engineering, Architecture, and Carpentry – Jim DeStefano, P.E., AIA, F. SEI
Timber Structures chronicles the 40-year saga of designing and engineering timber structures of all shapes and sizes at DeStefano & Chamberlain, Inc.
Timber is a remarkably versatile and sustainable building material. Whether you are building a home, a barn, a church, or a school, there is a timber structure that is right for you. Timber is the material of choice when architectural drama is the objective and a more mundane structure just will not do.
The Second Edition of Timber Structures is presented in a digital format for your reading pleasure.
Stamford Media Village - A Rhinestone In The Rough
January 2022
Stamford Media Village was one of the first Hybrid Steel – Mass Timber projects built, pioneering a structural system that is now in common use.
Detailing Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Connections
January 2021
CLT panels are commonly used in mass timber structures for floors, roofs, and walls. It is crucial to the success of a mass timber project that the connections between CLT panels be practical to build and not unsightly.
Cross-Laminated Timber Diaphragms
January 2021
Engineering CLT diaphragms does not need to be tedious. A practical approach to mass timber diaphragm analysis and design is offered.
Evaluation of Existing Timber Structures
February 2020
There are thousands of century old timber structures still in service. The structural evaluation of these venerable old timber structures requires a realistic assessment of the actual timber strength and performance.
Mass Timber Engineering
July 2019
The Mass Timber movement has taken the architectural community by storm, but sadly, the structural engineering profession has lagged behind. Design considerations in engineering Mass Timber structures are discussed.
The Good and the Bad with Delegated Design
September 2017
It has become common practice for Structural Engineers to delegate design responsibility for certain structural building systems, such as Mass Timber, to a Specialty Engineer engaged by the Contractor. While the Specialty Engineer can often be an asset to the design team, there are pitfalls.
Building Green with Wood Construction
August 2009
Wood and Mass Timber Construction are extremely sustainable building systems. These systems have a very low embodied energy and they Sequester Carbon extracted from the atmosphere.
TFEC 1-07 Standard For Design of Timber Frame Structures
February 2008
The engineering of Traditional Timber Frame Construction with timber joinery is not explicitly covered in the Building Code. The Timber Frame Engineering Council (TFEC) has produced a Standard that serves to supplement the information contained in the Building Code for engineering Traditional Timber Structures.
Saint Patrick Church
January 2008
The roof structure of the Saint Patrick Church features Timber Hammer Beam Trusses, a structural form borrowed from medieval cathedral construction in England. This innovative project was a synthesis of ancient carpentry and state of the art Timber Engineering.
Flitch Plate Beams Design Guide
June 2007
Flitch plate beams have been commonly used with wood frame construction for over 100 years. Despite the popularity of these hybrid structural elements, structural design guidance has been conspicuously absent from engineering literature. That is, up until now.
Computer Technology in the Practice of Structural Engineering
May 2007
Long before Artificial Intelligence was a thing, computer technology has changed the way structural engineers practice. Computer technology is a powerful tool that has relieved structural engineers from the burden of tedious and repetitive hand calculations. As with any power tool, in the hands of a skilled individual, it can produce a magnificent structure, but if misused, it can be dangerous.
Fire Protection of Structural Steel
November 2005
Few Architects or Structural Engineers understand how to properly design and specify fire rated structural steel construction. The basics of passive fire protection of steel are clearly explained for practicing engineers.
Timber Frame Construction
March 2005
Traditional timber frame construction with sawn timbers connected with timber joinery has experienced a revival. The architectural appeal is irresistible. Timber structures are now commonly used for public buildings as well as residences, but few engineers are versed at designing them.
Lally Columns in Residential Construction
September 2004
Most homes built in the past century are supported on lally columns in the basement. Structural design guidance for these ubiquitous structural components has been conspicuously absent from engineering literature. That is, up until now.
Shore Protection Structures
August 2004
The engineering of waterfront structures such as seawalls, bulkheads, and revetments requires a thorough understanding of coastal processes such as wave-structure interaction, shoreline erosion, and regulatory challenges.
Detailing Timber Connections - Dimensional Change Considerations
February 2004
The detailing of Glulam Timber connections is the most challenging aspect of Mass Timber Engineering. Failure to consider the effect of seasonal timber shrinkage and swelling on connections can have dire consequences.
Exposed Laminated Timber
March 2003
Glulam Timber construction is ideally suited to architecturally exposed structures. Its application was once limited to churches and school gymnasiums but it is currently experiencing a revival. Glulam Timbers are a vital component in virtually every Mass Timber Project.
Drawboring of Pegged Joints
December 2020
Drawboring is the practice of offsetting peg holes in mortise and tenon joints so as to pull a joint tight when tapered pegs are driven through the offset holes. This is a time-honored technique that has been used by carpenters and cabinetmakers for centuries. The timber joints are effectively prestressed by drawboring. The structural behavior of drawbored joints is explained so that even engineers can understand it.
Keyed Trough-Tenon Performance
September 2016
Through-tenon timber joints with hardwood wedge keys have been commonly used in timber trusses and Dutch barns for centuries. To better understand the structural behavior of these timber joints, a research program has been conducted at Virginia Tech.
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