JBI said:
All materials must be used within the allowances of the manufacturers specifications.
It would be nice if that were true. Many materials have no "manufacturer" (milled lumber, for instance) and some other materials are used outside the allowances of their specs all the time -- and blessed by the AHJ. For instance, asphalt shingles can be found between (almost) every post and the footing that it bears upon in every crawlspace in Oregon for well over 50 years. It's also universally permitted to use a single asphalt shingle in a beam pocket as a moisture break. In fact, if you omit it, the municipal inspector is likely to require you to put it there. This is not within the manufacturer's specs.
Will the shingle manufacturer specify their product to support a structural load? Not likely.
I hope not. However, I have had roofing shingle manufacturers say just about anything under the sun in order to remain in the good graces of the builders who buy their products. If I have to call this installation wrong, I'll need something better than the manufacturer isn't likely to approve it. Been stabbed in the back by too many manufacturers.
Will the beam manufacturer allow the (highly) compressible material to support their product? Again, not likely. Lastly, would the Design Professional of Record allow it? (I know, Oregon + Single Family Dwelling = NO DPR...).
There is no beam manufacturer, it's milled lumber. Last I checked, it doesn't come with specifications, just a grade stamp. There's no DPR, not because it's Oregon, but because the builder is, supposedly, using a prescriptive code. And, under that code, the asphalt shingle thing has been universally accepted for as long as he's been building and no one before me has ever said squat about it.
Asphalt shingles aren't covered in Chapter 3, 4 or 5, so their use in this application would not be prescriptive. If an element of the construction falls outside the scope of the prescriptive methods, it shall be 'designed'. As a part of the structural system, the shim must be capable of supporting all imposed loads - dead, live and environmental.
I agree with all of that. However, the builder would argue that the use of shingles is allowed by convention. He'd also point out that they must be capable of supporting all loads because none of the houses that he's built have ever fallen down.
The shims should be no softer than the beam they support.
Great idea. Where does it say that again?