Optimisation of Innovative Timber Joints

OPTIMISATION AND SYSTEMATISATION OF INNOVATIVE JOINTS IN TIMBER CONSTRUCTION

The ongoing progression of climate change highlights the need to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Timber construction can significantly contribute to climate change mitigation by absorbing CO₂ during growth, reducing emissions during production, and storing CO₂ throughout a building's service life. Thus, increasing the use of timber as a renewable material is essential. To ensure long-term CO₂ storage, removable joints are essential, allowing entire components to be disassembled and reused, supporting the circular economy.

The aim of the project is to systematise the complex joints in timber construction, simplify and optimise their design, thereby increasing the use of timber as a renewable material and helping to save resources by making connections removable. Using the component method in timber construction, the design of a wide variety of joints can be optimised using a standardised procedure by specifically matching different components to each other ("performance-based design"). This method will be demonstrated using the example of a moment-resistant timber frame corner with the possibility of disassembly ("design for re-use"). For practical purposes, and in particular for SMEs, easy digital access to the method will be provided in the form of a component catalogue and an Excel tool.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR & PARTICIPATING RESEARCHER

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrike Kuhlmann and Prof. Dr. sc. habil. Markus Knobloch
Institute of Structural Design (KE), University of Stuttgart

RESEARCHER

Lea Buchholz (KE)

FUNDING

“Holz Innovativ Programm” by the Ministry of Food, Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection of the State of Baden-Württemberg and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)