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Timber Engineering [buvz. Doct.]

Course developer

Course abstract

The aim of this course is to provide the sufficiently information base for growth of qualified timber engineering professionals by developing the diverse range of research skills of those that would like to make a contribution in the timber industry. Timber Engineering is the discipline directed to acquiring and applying the theoretical principles and practical knowledge to analyse the behaviour of structures and their components under load, to evaluate the significance of affecting factors, to improve the theoretical models to develop and prove a new relationships and design of optimal solutions. It deals with structural components, joints and systems based on both solid timber and engineered wood products.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

• Knowledge in classic theories of wood materials and structures, and understanding including critical approach when deals with new models developed by contemporary investigations on behaviour of wood materials and loaded elements. Discussion with academic staff in department
• Skills: for rational choice of research methods (analytical and experimental) appropriate for investigation of stress-state behaviour of wood elements and connections including detection and examining of factors affecting feature studied importantly. Presentation in the conference + article
• Competence: to demonstrate an ability to put in use the knowledge and skills for dealing with the actual problems in timber engineering, i.d., to assess the state of art regarding the item to be studied, to evaluate and select the factors affecting significantly, to make a good choice and realize the research method, to analyse the results obtained correctly, to find the theoretical model for description of relationships investigated, to evaluate and discuss on certainty and proposal for generalization the ones. Promotion examination

Course Content(Calendar)

1 Structure of wood and its impact on sustainable service of hard loaded timber elements under influence of environmental conditions, as well as in fire
2 Variability of numerical values of wood properties. Statistical modelling of data samples.
3 Engineering properties of wood materials and its affecting factors, analysis of interdependence.
4 Duration of load effects in wood. Phenomena of creep. Mechano-sorptive creep in wood fibres.
5 Modelling of behaviour of wood material in general service conditions, as well as under accidental action (fire).
6 Application of non-destructive methods and experimental tests for study of stress-strain development in structural timber elements
7 Study of mechanical behaviour of structural timber connections in general service conditions, as well as under accidental action (fire)
8 Moment-resisting connections with mechanical fasteners
9 Analysis of stability of timber frames. Racking strength of pinned panels.
10 Multistorey frames. Analysis of deformations. Anchorage resistance.
11 Structural solutions for large spans designed of wood laminates
12 Hard loaded beam type structures for large spans, behaviour and technical and economic substantiation.
13 Large span arches, their behaviour and technical and economic substantiation.
14 Panels of wood laminates, their behaviour and technical and economic substantiation.
15 Contemporary solutions of structures in modern construction

16 Reliability, robustness and sustainability of timber structures

Requirements for awarding credit points

Examination is established as a presentation on three selected topics in timber engineering field related to research direction including knowledge based discussion.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

1st Presentation: Wood materiāls and prefabricated building products: newest investigations and results
2nd Presentation: Problems and solutions in design and execution of robust and sustainable structures.
It is possible to elaborate and present other related topics.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Assessment of the promotion examination is obtained as average of marks given by members of promotion examination commission.

Compulsory reading

1. Timber Engineering. Edited by S. Thelandersson, H. J. Larsen. Chichester etc.: John Wiley & Son, 2003. 446 p.
2. Materials and joints in timber structures: recent developments of technology/ editors Simon Aicher, H.-W. Reinhardt, Harald Garrecht. New York: Springer, 2014.- 839 p.
3. Marcelo F. S. F. de Moura, Nuno Dourado. Wood Fracture Characterization. CRC Press, 2018.- 137 p.
4. Martin Ansell. Wood Composites.- Elsevier, 2015.- 444 p.

Further reading

1. Timber construction manual /American Institute of Timber Construction. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley, 2012. 648 p.
2. Smith, Ian. Use of timber in tall multi-storey buildings / [authors : Ian Smith, Andrea Frangi; with contribution from: G.C.Foliente.. et al.].- Zürich : International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering, ©2014. - 178, [1] lpp.
3. Guideline- design for robustness of timber structures : COST action E55 "Modelling of the performance of timber structures"/ editors: J.D. Sørensen... [et al.]; European Science Foundation.- Aachen : Shaker Verlag, 2011.- 146 lpp.
4. Proceedings of World Conferences on Timber Engineering (WCTE)

Periodicals and other sources

1. Bauen mit Holz. ISSN: 0005-6545
2. The Structural Engineer. London: The institution of structural engineers. ISSN 1466-5123

Notes

Special course of the research direction in the Doctoral study programme “Civil Engineering”