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Throughout the last two decades the timber building sector has experienced a steady growth in multi-storey construction. Although there has been a growing number of research focused on trends, benefits, and disadvantages in timber construction from various technical perspectives, so far there is no extensive literature on the trajectory of emerging architectural typologies. This paper presents an examination of architectural variety and spatial possibilities in current serial and modular multi-storey timber construction. It aims to draw a parallel between architectural characteristics and their relation to structural systems in timber. The research draws from a collection of 350 contemporary multi-storey timber building projects between 2000 and 2021. It consists of 300 built projects, 12 projects currently in construction, and 38 design proposals. The survey consists of quantitative and qualitative project data, as well as classification of the structural system, material, program, massing, and spatial organization of the projects. It then compares the different structural and design aspects to achieve a comprehensive overview of possibilities in timber construction. The outcome is an identification of the range of morphologies and a better understanding of the design space in current serial and modular multi-storey mass timber construction.

The construction industry is one of the largest producers of greenhouse gases, accounting for 38% of global carbon emissions. Recently, interest in mass timber construction has grown, due to its potential benefits in reducing environmental impact compared to traditional construction methods that use steel and concrete, and in promoting global sustainability and climate agendas, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global net-zero emissions by 2050. Despite the slow adoption of mass timber construction (MTC) in Australia, some innovative and iconic projects and initiatives have been realised. The research intends to identify critical challenges and potential for broader adoption of MTC in Australia. The study reviewed selected MTC projects, followed by a perception survey and interviews of the relevant industry stakeholders in Australia to understand the key barriers and enablers for the widespread application of MTC in Australia. Significant challenges identified in the research include a lack of understanding of fire safety, regulations, performance, inherent application, and local manufacturers and suppliers, which are yet to be improved. In addition, it was found that prior experience built confidence in the application of MTC. Furthering widespread adoption of MTC technology in Australia beyond cost competitiveness requires the Australian construction industry to work towards developing suitable regulatory and insurance policies, financing, incentivising clients, and a skilled workforce. The study focuses on an investigation in the context of industry perceptions of MTC in Australia. Based on the analysis of the critical characteristics of MTC projects, and using the empirical data, the study identifies key challenges and opportunities in the widespread application of MTC in Australia.

There has been a multi-storey timber construction boom since the start of the millennium. While there is now a body of research on trends, benefits, and disadvantages of timber construction, there is not yet literature on the wider market or the impact of stakeholders on it. This research investigates the (i) architects, (ii) engineers, and (iii) manufacturers involved in the realization of 300 contemporary multi-storey timber buildings from an existing survey. The analysis is based on data sourced from stakeholder websites and the building survey. It evaluates the perceived level of timber expertise of stakeholders based on service categorization and stakeholder type and relates them to the buildings they worked on. The research uses quantitative methods to answer qualitative questions on the connection between architectural variety in timber construction and the stakeholders involved. Interconnectivity between stakeholders and projects is visualized in an interactive network graph. The study shows a segmented mass timber market with relatively few impactful design and construction stakeholders, mostly located in central and northern Europe. It also identifies fabricators as the largest group of innovators advancing the industry and enabling the construction of more complex projects. It reveals the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing for the industry’s growth.

The construction sector’s environmental footprint is driving the adoption of sustainable modular timber systems. The WikiHouse Skylark is a promising open-source model whose structural reliability depends on the performance of its critical plywood TIE joints. This study presents an experimental investigation of full-scale TIE joints fabricated from 18 mm Pinus radiata plywood in three variants: Standard (STD), Weather-Resistant (HR), and Fire-Resistant (FR). Monotonic tensile and shear tests were conducted to evaluate load–displacement behavior and failure modes. While the mean ultimate strengths varied between panel types, with HR highest in tension (7.7 kN) and FR highest in shear (8.2 kN), the most critical finding was the effect of the treatments on failure mode. The FR treatment induced a brittle fracture with significantly reduced ductility, in contrast to the more ductile tearing observed in STD and HR panels. This highlights a clear strength–ductility trade-off introduced by the fire-retardant treatment, a key consideration for structural design in modular timber construction. This dataset provides an essential empirical foundation for the numerical modeling and design guidelines of WikiHouse TIE joints, advancing the development of resilient and sustainable prefabricated housing.

Mass timber construction has recently gained popularity due to its outstanding environmental benefits and building performance, which hold revolutionary potential for the construction industry. However, its impacts from the perspective of occupants have not been thoroughly explored. This study introduces an innovative empirical approach that explores the potential benefits of mass timber construction for individuals and organizations, with an emphasis on the workplace. We review the conceptual framework regarding how visual and physical exposure to timber construction materials and finishes have a positive effect on individuals and organizations at a broad level. We propose a more holistic mixed-method behavioral approach to studying occupant behavior and well-being by integrating self-reported questionnaires, objective biomarkers (heart rate variability and hair cortisol), and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) measures. Our study offers a novel research primer on the exploration of mass timber construction impacts and benefits for both office workers and construction workers. Participants from different office settings completed pre- and post-occupancy evaluation surveys to assess their experiences, including IEQ satisfaction, productivity, and health. Office workers were located in three different offices: a controlled laboratory environment, an open-plan office, and an open-plan space with a timber interior. The construction workers worked in a timber space for three months and then moved to work in a building with a concrete structure. The analysis included descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and linear regression to compare differences between office settings and assess the relationship between environmental variables and overall satisfaction in IEQ, comfort, productivity, and health. In office workers, in terms of building image, thermal comfort, and artificial lighting, the data analysis revealed significant differences in occupants’ satisfaction levels between office settings. However, the low number of participants affected the results, and some factors were not found significant in relation to the office setting. Among tradespeople, there was no relationship between the building environment and productivity, health, or comfort. However, the results of hair cortisol testing indicated that working in a timber space can decrease the level of cortisol (stress) and have an impact on the productivity of workers. Such occupant’s perspective research is pivotal to informing policy makers, developers, business owners, construction professionals, timber industry stakeholders, environmentalists, and researchers in their decision-making processes. Fostering the future widespread adoption and advancement of mass timber construction.

In timber construction, Glulam post-and-beam systems are commonly used to transfer vertical loads to the foundation. In such systems, the connections play a critical role in structural performance. Pre-engineered connectors, which facilitate fast and efficient assembly, are typically designed to resist only vertical shear loads. However, during seismic and wind events, post-and-beam systems deform horizontally, and axial forces develop at the connections. In this research, the performance of RICON and MEGANT pre-engineered connectors was studied under biaxial loading involving concurrent shear and axial forces. A total of 12 full-scale tests on Glulam frame segments were conducted. Neither type of connector experienced any resistance loss under concurrent shear loads equal to the factored shear resistance and axial loads equal to 5% of the factored shear resistance. The axial load-carrying capacity of the RICON and MEGANT connectors was up to 124% and 97% of their factored shear resistance, respectively. The global failure of all the studied connectors demonstrated both ductility and residual deformation capacity. These results provide valuable information for engineers designing Glulam post-and-beam systems in seismic regions.

The current study investigates the influence of timber-to-concrete connection types on the behaviour of timber–concrete composite (TCC) structures employing metal web timber joists. Two groups of laboratory specimens were prepared, each comprising four samples with push-joisted beams joined by oriented strand board (OSB) and cast with a concrete layer. One group utilised compliant timber-to-concrete connections via perforated steel tape angles, while the other employed rigid connections through epoxy adhesive and granite chips. The specimens, consisting of two 1390 mm long beams of grade PS10 timber, were tested under three-point bending. Experimental results and finite element analyses demonstrated that specimens with compliant connections exhibited 14–16% greater maximum vertical displacements but only a marginal 1.79% reduction in load-carrying capacity compared to those with rigid connections. Findings indicate that connection compliance markedly affects stiffness and deflection but has a minor impact on ultimate strength. These insights can guide optimisation of TCC members with metal web joists, balancing structural performance and design requirements in sustainable timber construction.

Robotic timber joinery demands integrated, adaptive methods to compensate for the inherent dimensional variability of wood. We introduce a seamless robotic workflow to enhance the measurement accuracy of the Workpiece Coordinate System (WCS). The approach leverages a Zivid 3D camera mounted in an eye-in-hand configuration on a KUKA industrial robot. The proposed algorithm applies a geometric method that strategically crops the point cloud and fits planes to the workpiece surfaces to define a reference frame, calculate the corresponding transformation between coordinate systems, and measure the cross-section of the workpiece. This enables reliable toolpath generation by dynamically updating WCS and effectively accommodating real-world geometric deviations in timber components. The workflow includes camera-to-robot calibration, point cloud acquisition, robust detection of workpiece features, and precise alignment of the WCS. Experimental validation confirms that the proposed method is efficient and improves milling accuracy. By dynamically identifying the workpiece geometry, the system successfully addresses challenges posed by irregular timber shapes, resulting in higher accuracy for timber joints. This method contributes to advanced manufacturing strategies in robotic timber construction and supports the processing of diverse workpiece geometries, with potential applications in civil engineering for building construction through the precise fabrication of structural timber components.

In order to improve the sound absorption performance of the light-frame timber construction wall, this paper combined the aperture embedded wall unit structure with the actual building wall structure based on the Helmholtz resonance structure principle to design and fabricate two sets of wall structures: a new aperture embedded Helmholtz resonance structure (experimental group) and a conventional structure (control group). The sound absorption coefficients of the two wall structures were measured by the reverberation chamber test, and related analysis was carried out. The results showed that the aperture embedded Helmholtz resonance wall structure exhibited good sound absorption performance in the low frequency range; in particular, a perfect sound absorption effect was basically achieved at a frequency of 100 Hz. Compared with the conventional wall structure, the sound absorption performance of the aperture embedded Helmholtz resonance wall structure in the test frequency range was enhanced greatly. While the value of the sound absorption coefficient was increased in the low frequency range, the bandwidth of sound absorption frequency was expanded to a certain extent, and the average sound absorption coefficient and noise reduction coefficient were both improved. This paper explored the applicability of Helmholtz resonance structure in practical wall structure. The research results could provide reference for reducing indoor noise pollution and creating a better living environment.

In contemporary building design, partition walls combined with doors and windows are commonly used to control the spread of smoke. Understanding the smoke leakage characteristics of cross-laminated timber (CLT) walls is crucial for enhancing safety. This study investigates the smoke-sealing performance of CLT walls through full-scale tests, focusing on the application of this type of mass timber construction in smoke control. The test specimens included four joints, with leakage measured under two conditions—non-fire and fire exposure—at three different pressure differentials. A total of 72 tests were conducted. The results showed that under non-fire conditions, the leakage rate was 0.00 m3/h, while exposure to fire caused a significant increase in leakage. Under a pressure differential of 25 Pa, the average leakage rate was 8.17 m3/h, with a maximum of 8.27 m3/h. This study also proposes a method for evaluating the leakage rate of a single joint, which helps estimate the smoke layer descent time and, in turn, the allowable evacuation time. The findings not only enhance the fire safety performance of mass timber construction but also provide valuable insights for evacuation planning.