APA is a leader in wood-design testing and research. APA's 45,000-square-foot Research Center is staffed with an experienced corps of engineers, wood scientists, and wood-product technicians. Their expertise plays an important role in producing panel and engineered wood systems that meet the industry's highest performance standards and braced-wall designs that promote the structural safety of building construction. Summaries of current APA research and special projects are provided below.
Wood Structural Panel & Foam Insulation Systems
Goal: The project evaluates the hygrothermal performance of several different full-scale wall assembly configurations constructed of wood structural panel sheathing and rigid foam plastic insulation in Climate Zone Marine 4. In addition, the project evaluates the lateral load resistance of walls constructed with wood structural panel sheathing and rigid foam plastic insulation. Download the Joint Research Report: Wood Structural Panel & Foam Insulation Systems.
Strategic Partners: USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory; Washington State University
APA/USDA Joint Research On Foam-Over-Wood-Structural-Panel, Energy-Efficient Wall Assemblies
APA and the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) have initiated a joint research program to study the hygrothermal performance of energy-efficient wall assemblies that use foam over wood structural panel sheathing. The project calls for continuous monitoring of hygrothermal performance of various wall configurations at the FPL test hut in Climate Zone 6 (Madison, WI). A parallel study will be conducted at a test hut to be built in 2015 in Marine 4 Climate Zone (Tacoma, WA). The joint project will also include accelerated weather exposure testing using the new state-of-the-art Chamber for Analytic Research on Wall Assemblies exposed to simulated weather (CARWASh) facility at the FPL, pictured at right.
Lateral Load Performance of SIP Walls with Full Bearing
This research project will test the lateral load performance of SIP walls with full bearing. Phase 1 of the project involves structural testing of 24 full-size SIP walls of various configurations commonly used in the field. It is expected that the results from this project will provide a systematical evaluation of SIP wall racking performance across the varying configurations.
Force Transfer Around Openings
Goal: To identify a design methodology that can closely predict the force distribution around openings in shear walls (e.g., doors or windows) and improve the ease of wood panel wall sheathing.
Strategic Partners:USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory; University of British Columbia
Creep Performance for Structural Insulated Panels
Goal:To evaluate the creep performance of structural insulated panels in a preliminary study, which will be followed by a more comprehensive study. Download Creep Behavior of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), Results from a Pilot Study.
Strategic Partners: USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory; Structural Insulated Panel Association