Durability and Wood Protection Research
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Project Title :
Performance-Based Design of Residential and Nonresidential Wood Buildings Project Number : FPL-4723-1B Status : TERMINATED Start Date : 10-01-2012 End Date : 09-30-2017 View the 19 publications associated with this project. |
Principal Investigator: Carol A. Clausen |
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| Non Technical Summary | ||
 Building construction and repair account for approximately one-half of all lumber and other wood products (excluding paper) consumed annually in the US, and further increases in demand for residential and non-residential building products are anticipated. Construction technologies have changed dramatically as more and more lumber for housing is sourced from plantation-grown trees and small-diameter secondary wood species. Changes in the timber resource have also dictated a shift from sawn wood and veneer products to composite and engineered wood products. While these products make more efficient use of the timber resource and can be made from smaller trees and underutilized species, the properties of new products are not the same as those of sawn wood or wood veneer products, especially in regard to their response to moisture. This research will develop the next generation of residential and non-residential structures, including retrofit technologies that are functional, durable, safe, affordable, and energy efficient. | ||
| Objectives Summary | ||
| The objective of this problem area is to develop residential and non-residential wood buildings and retrofits that minimize energy consumption using muliscalar materials science coupled with an integrated, performance-based design approach for moisture control, indoor air quality, durability, resiliency and sustainability. | ||
| Approach Summary | ||
| Computer modeling in conjunction with a systematic experimental approach will offer insight into moisture dynamics in wall assemblies, provide high quality data to validate models, and evaluate various moisture management strategies and methods of construction. Both the corrosion and the resulting decomposition of the wood significantly weaken the holding power of the metal fastener and can lead to structural failure. A better understanding of the corrosion process at the cellular level in wood will be developed in order to improve the durability of wood-fastener connections. The state-of-the-art Chamber for Analytic Research on Wall Assemblies Exposed to Simulated Weather will be used to conduct full-scale test regimes on structural design, innovative new products and connectors. |
Publications associated with this Project
| Project Summaries last modified: 02-27-2013 |