Timber Structures

  Wooden beam Copyright: © STB

The research and development of timber covers a large scope. It includes traditional timber construction e.g. timber frames, wide-span timber trusses and connections as well as new developments such as timber-concrete composites or hybrid construction with optimal combinations of wood and other materials.

Engineering timber construction is a part of the Institute of Steel Construction, enabling more extensive and sophisticated testing equipment to be used. These include testing rigs for determining material and connection properties, special facilities for trial-based investigation of stability problems, and test set-ups for investigating the load behaviour of large components or load-bearing structures under static and dynamic loading.

The experimental investigations are complemented and expanded through numerical models; modern software and high-performance computers are available. The engineering timber group also offers support to industry partners in the development and application of innovative ideas and products, particularly relating to construction and practical applications.

An overview of ongoing and completed research projects can be found here.