Abstract
In stressed-skin panel (SSP) systems, the sheathing and joists act compositely together. In order to be effective and accurate, the design procedure should consider the aspects of this interaction, that is, the composite action and the tributary width of the sheathing. The current edition of the Australian code for the design of timber structures, AS 1720.1-1997, provides incomplete guidelines for the design of SSP systems. For example, the code addresses some aspects of the strength but neglects the composite characteristics of SSP sections. Such approach leads to inaccurate design and prevents to maximise the structural potential of SSP structures. This paper outlines a thorough design procedure, which enables to achieve a problem-free andefficient implementation of SSP technology. This procedure relies on a solid research background - results of a comprehensive and large-scale investigation of SSP structures, conducted between 2002 and 2007 at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). It also complies with Australian design standard/practice. Furthermore, it is compatible with the design procedure put forward in Eurocode 5 (EC5).