Donald A. Bender, P.E.

Don Bender Portrait

Emeritus Professor

bender@wsu.edu
 Curriculum Vitae

Technical Interests

  • Engineering analysis and design of timber structures
  • Deck safety
  • Laboratory testing and analysis of engineering wood components, composite materials, connections, and assemblies
  • Post-frame construction
  • Nondestructive evaluation of wood materials
  • Wood durability
  • Building envelopes

Professional Experience

  • Engineering Consultant, Moscow, ID, 2022-present
  • Professor | Civil & Environmental Engineering; and Director, Composite Materials & Engineering Center, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 1997-2022
  • Interim Dean | Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 2016-2017
  • Interim Dept Head; Professor; Assoc Professor; Asst Professor |Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 1984-1997
  • Visiting Scientist | USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI, 1991-1992

Teaching

  • Design of Timber Structures
  • Advanced Wood Engineering

Education

  • Ph.D. | Purdue University, 1984
  • M.S. | Virginia Tech University, 1980
  • B.S. | Virginia Tech University, 1979

Awards

  • Weyerhaeuser Distinguished Professor, WSU, 1997 – present
  • Leon Luck Faculty Award, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, WSU, 2007
  • Outstanding Teaching Faculty Award, College of Engineering and Architecture, WSU, 2002
  • Six national-level journal article awards from SWST, FPS, and ASABE
  • Two national-level awards from post-frame building industry

Selected Publications

  • Broers, M.A. and D.A. Bender. 2021. Span rating of solid-sawn deck boards. Forest Products Journal 71(2):171-176.
  • Broers, M.A., D.A. Bender, F.E. Woeste and A.R. Phillips. 2020. Residential floor failure from dynamic occupant loading. ASCE Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities 35(4):04021017-1-9.
  • Dolan, J.D., A. Wilson, K. Brandt, D.A. Bender and M.P. Wolcott. 2019. Structural design process for estimating cross-laminated timber use factors for buildings. Bioresources 14(3):7247-7265.
  • Mai, K.D, D.A. Bender and J.D. Dolan. 2016. Development of seismic design coefficients for steel-clad wood-framed shear walls. Frame Building News 28(3):18-21.
  • Parsons, B.J., D.A. Bender, J.D. Dolan and F.E. Woeste. 2014. Deck and porch floor lateral loading by occupants. ASCE Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, 19(3), 04014012.
  • Bender, D.A. and F.E. Woeste. 2011. Creep deflection in design of metal plate connected wood trusses. ASCE Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction 16(1):10-14.
  • Kimble, R.E. and D.A. Bender. 2010. Stability of built-up timber beams and columns – accounting or modulus of elasticity variability. ASCE Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction 15(4):272-277.
  • Carradine, D.M., D.A. Bender, F.E. Woeste and J.R. Loferski. 2007. Development of design capacities for residential deck ledger connections. Forest Products Journal 57(3):29-33.
  • Lebow, S., J. Winandy and D.A Bender. 2004. Treated wood in transition: a look at CCA and the candidates to replace it. Wood Design Focus 14(2):3-8.
  • Skaggs, T.D. and D.A. Bender. 1995. Shear deflection of composite wood beams. Wood and Fiber Science 27(3):327-338.
  • Hernandez, R., D.A. Bender, B.A. Richburg and K.S. Kline. 1992. Probabilistic modeling of glued laminated timber beams. Wood and Fiber Science 24(3):294-306.
  • Bender, D.A., F.E. Woeste, E.L. Schaffer, and C.M. Marx. 1985. Reliability formulation for strength and fire endurance of glued laminated beams. USDA Forest Service Research Paper FPL 460, U.S. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI. 43 p.