The project in five facts.
Challenge, approach and results.
Wood is a natural material. In construction, it can be used as a structural element in both basic structural components. Its main advantage is strength, comparatively in relation to its low self-weight. A significant contribution here has been made by energy conservation and the construction of buildings in passive design, and today already in low-energy design, where load-bearing elements must be as insulative as possible to meet the requirements of low-energy construction standards.
Problem
Wood is a natural material. In construction, it can be used as a structural element in both basic structural components. It can be used as a column because it has good load-bearing capacity vertically, and it can be used as a beam because it has good load-bearing capacity horizontally.
The greatest problem for wood regarding its durability and consequently its load-bearing capacity is presented by biological pests and exposure to moisture and dry air in alternating cycles.
Solution and Method
Its main advantage is strength, comparatively in relation to its low self-weight. By drying wood to the ideal relative moisture content and gluing it, we greatly increase the load-bearing capacity and lifespan of wood. For the production of glued laminated timber beams, we need quality dry wood whose moisture content must not exceed 15%.
When we remove all irregularities from such suitably dry wood and produce lamellae, we arrive at the basis for manufacturing glued laminated beams. Glued laminated beams – glulam – as a structural element of beams enable us to span greater distances. By manufacturing glulam, we preserve the basic characteristics of wood and obtain a beautiful and durable product.
In the production of glued laminated beams, the only limitations are the technological gluing process, the possibility of transport and assembly. Concrete as a structural material has high strength. However, it has low load-bearing capacity, which we greatly increase in concrete by using reinforcement, thus obtaining reinforced concrete (RC).
The history of reinforced concrete begins in 1824. Over the years, the production of reinforced concrete has only improved, not least by adding various additives which are added before or during mixing itself and are divided into three main groups: chemical, mineral and fibres. Thus today we produce concretes which achieve high strengths and load-bearing capacities.
With proper design of reinforced concrete structures, the shape of the element and reinforcement and type of concrete, we can achieve large spans with concrete. The advantage of concrete, which gives concrete durability, lies in its recyclability. Recycled concrete can be used as aggregate for producing new concrete mix instead of natural aggregate.
With the increasing use of concrete due to its strength, load-bearing capacity and versatile usability, concrete is today very often used as a basic structural element, which places it at the top of materials used today. However, the trend has begun to change and the use of wood as a structural material has once again begun very extensively.
Results
A significant contribution here has been made by energy conservation and the construction of buildings in passive design, and today already in low-energy design, where load-bearing elements must be as insulative as possible to meet the requirements of low-energy construction standards.
Module, programme and stories.
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