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Department of Engineering

Structured lessons

Structured lessons

A 4th year student project has Nicholas Niem strength-testing an innovative timber design.

Although timber has been used in construction for centuries, it is undergoing a renaissance.

Allan McRobie

Nicholas, working with the Structures Group, is involved in research on testing the performance of a new variation in timber flooring construction. A slab provided to the Department by Smith and Wallwork is now being tested to determine its suitability for use in construction of a new school in Peterborough.

The subject of Nicholas’s research is an innovative type of cross-laminated timber (CLT). A CLT slab can be reinforced by wooden beams or ribs and span distances of about 12 metres. Planks are cut into sheets that are then stacked at right angles and bonded in perpendicular layers.

To make precise measurements, Nicholas is trialling a technique known as particle imaging velocimetry, a way to measure strain fields within timber. This involves capturing high-resolution images of timber as it deforms and calculating the strain field with customised software scripts.

“I am excited about the prospects of working to get this project off the ground,” Nicholas said. “I find this to be a challenging and rewarding enterprise. I hope the programme discovers new ways to test timber strength that resonate throughout the industry.”

Nicholas has been operating under the guidance of Allan McRobie of the Structures Group. “Although timber has been used in construction for centuries, it is undergoing a renaissance,” Allan said. “New forms such as CLT are opening the door to innovative sustainable building methods.”

The team is focusing its research on complex load environments. Further interests include rational risk management associated with high-consequence, low-probability events that can lead to structural failure. 

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