TRAINING.

Overview

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Assess structural wood products used in Canadian construction by understanding their material properties, limitations, and appropriate applications
• Evaluate the mechanical behaviour of wood members under flexural, axial, and combined loading conditions relevant to structural design
• Design basic wood structural elements in accordance with CSA O86, including members governed by strength, serviceability, and fire considerations
• Apply fundamental wood structural systems and load‑resisting concepts to support sound design and review decisions
• Select and interpret common wood connection types based on structural demand, constructability, and code provisions

Description

As a structural professional, you may be required to design or review wood structural elements while navigating material variability, serviceability considerations, and Canadian code requirements. Without a solid foundation in wood behaviour and CSA O86 design principles, these decisions can introduce uncertainty, risk, and inefficiency into your projects.

This introductory course provides a structured, practical foundation in wood building design within the Canadian context. You will develop an understanding of how wood behaves as a structural material, how its physical and mechanical properties influence design decisions, and how these factors are addressed within CSA O86 and the National Building Code of Canada.

Through guided instruction and worked examples, the course focuses on the design of simple wood members subjected to flexure, axial load, and combined loading. Fire resistance, wood connections, and common wood structural systems are also introduced, ensuring you can confidently interpret code provisions and apply them to real‑world wood design scenarios.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for:

• Structural engineers and engineering consultants
• Project engineers and engineering managers
• Contractors and construction professionals
• Municipal engineers and building inspectors
• Engineers‑in‑training and early‑career practitioners
• Educators, technicians, and technologists involved in wood construction

Please note: You can check other time zones here.

Syllabus

Day I

Wood in Construction

Fundamentals of wood material properties

• Overview of wood as a construction material
• Mechanical properties of wood (strength, stiffness, etc.)
• Moisture content and its effects on wood properties
• Wood defects and their impact on strength and durability
• Mechanics of wood in fire

Standards and guides for wood construction

• Manuals, design standards, and available guidelines
• Overview of the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC)
• Specific codes for wood design: CSA O86

Wood in construction

• Structural wood products and structural forms
• Applications of wood products
• Introduction to wood structural systems

Design of wood structures

• Design process and considerations of the Canadian standard
• Utilization of the Canadian standard for design
• Wood systems considered in the Canadian standard
• Design of flexural members
• Solved examples and practical exercises

Day II

Design of Wood Structures (continued)

• Design of axially loaded members
• Load bearing design
• Design of members in combining axial load and flexure
• Design for fire safety
• Types of wood connections
• Solved examples and practical exercises
• Questions and answers and feedback to participants on learning outcomes

Instructor

Ahmed El Refai, Ph.D., P.Eng.

Dr. El Refai is an Associate Professor at Laval University in Quebec, Canada. He earned his PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Ont., in 2007. Dr. El Refai is a registered professional engineer in Ontario. He has more than 25 years of design experience of high-rise buildings and bridges in Canada and abroad. His area of specialisation is in the design and rehabilitation of reinforced and prestressed concrete structures, with a specific interest in innovative construction and strengthening methods. He contributed to the design of multiple iconic projects in Canada such as The Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg.

Dr. El Refai has authored and co-authored more than 60 technical journal and conference publications in the field of reinforced and prestressed concrete structures, structures’ damage assessment, innovative repair and strengthening materials, fiber-reinforced polymers, high and ultra-high-performance concrete, and fiber-reinforced concrete. He is also a reviewer for several international scientific journals and a member of several technical committees and professional organizations.