Lesson 3 Assessment

Difficulty Level: 1/5

Estimated Time to Complete: 15 minutes


Problem Statement: Joist Bearing Length Design

The goal of this assignment is to determine the minimum bearing length required for single-span floor joists based on the given structural loading conditions and material properties. 

Given Data:

  • Joist Type &  [Grade]: S-P-F  sawn lumber [No.1/No.2] 
  • Joist Size: 38 × 184 mm 
  • Joist Span: 3.0 m 
  • Joist Spacing: 400 mm (center-to-center) 
  • Specified Dead Load: 1.5 kPa (includes partitions) 
  • Specified Live Load: 2.4 kPa (commercial use and occupancy) 
  • Load Duration: Standard 
  • Service Condition: Dry 
  • Lateral Support: Fully supported by 15.5 mm Douglas fir plywood (DFP) subfloor, field-glued to joists 
  • Floor System Type: Case 2 

Design Requirement:

Use the software to determine the minimum bearing length required at the supports, considering the compression perpendicular to grain capacity of S-P-F No.1/No.2 lumber to ensure structural adequacy under the applied loads. 


Question 1

Select the most appropriate answer based on the software output and standard design requirements.