Structural Cascades: performance-based design with reclaimed in situ timber

Patrick Huber
Supervisor: Univ.Prof. Günther H. Filz
ongoing

Abstract. The reuse of reclaimed timber represents a large untapped potential in sustainable architecture. While million tons of structurally capable waste wood are generated annually, the construction industry currently fails to use this resource. Instead of
extending the material’s life span, the majority gets currently downcycled or incinerated for energy recovery. This process not only releases stored energy, but the timber also loses its inherent potential as a structural building material, which results in a critical loss of value. From solid wood to chipboards. To date, normative strength grading standards for direct structural reuse are missing as the material does not meet the homogeneity requirements of industrial standards. Therefore, reclaimed timber is only used for decorative purposes and plays a minor role in temporary architecture.
This thesis addresses this gap by investigating the direct structural reuse of reclaimed timber within a cascading system. Using digital measurement techniques, the internal variance of each piece of timber is captured, structurally evaluated through computer simulations, and subsequently defined as a digital agent. On this basis, a performance-based mapping assigns each element to the position where its material capacities can be utilized most efficiently, in this way the overall structural logic emerges from the differentiated performance of the individual elements and their interaction within the system. Within the context of performance-oriented architecture, the focus shifs from pure form giving towards the inherent performance and behavior of the material.