One of our most recent funding proposals, Enroot: Enhancing the robustness of timber structures, has just been granted. The project aims to enhance the robustness of timber structures by designing and evaluating improved inter-element connections to meet structural robustness requirements.
Timber is considered one promising solution to substitute other construction materials like concrete or steel as it provides more environmental advantages. Timber structures which are made of wood can be sustainably harvested and renewed. This primary advantage is followed by other practical benefits, including energy efficiency, thermal and acoustic comfort, and lightweight, as well as industrialised construction’s economic and temporal advantages. Although promising, the current knowledge that engineering society has regarding the behaviour of timber structures is relatively limited, as suggested by the scant amount of research available in this area. Furthermore, the robustness of such a structure when subjected to extreme events (e.g., storms, floods, vehicle impacts, explosions, or terrorist attacks) has not been thoroughly investigated to date.
The Principal Investigator (PI) of the project is Manuel Buitrago Moreno (UPV). The project is funded by the Generalitat Valenciana – Conselleria de Innovación, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital, under the GE 2023 call (CIGE/2022/120) with a total budget of €20,000 with a duration of 2 years.
The success of Enroot project will create a considerable impact in scientific, technological, and social fields. Scientifically, the project will generate knowledge applicable to improving the resilience and safety of timber structures. Technologically and societally, the main findings from this project will strengthen the competitiveness and the growth of timber constructions, bringing the project’s innovation to the market.
