Jun 26, 2026
23rd Long Night of Science at TU Dresden
On 26 June 2026, the Chair of Timber Engineering participated in the 23rd Long Night of Science at TU Dresden. Numerous visitors took the opportunity to learn about our research topics and experience them first-hand through illustrative experiments. The exhibition focused on research into wood densification and moulded wood technology, as well as current research projects on connections and fasteners in timber construction. In addition, experiments were used to demonstrate the influence of the density of different wood species.
As part of the "Junior Master Builder" activity, young visitors were able to test their knowledge of bending and wood density by answering two questions while learning about the properties of wood in a playful way. At several stations, visitors could experience the material-specific characteristics of different wood species and understand how these influence the structural behaviour of timber components.
In a floating experiment, visitors observed that lightweight woods such as balsa, spruce and beech float on water, while technically modified woods and wood-based products, such as densified black locust and resin-impregnated compressed wood, sink due to their high density. Further experiments demonstrated the different bending properties of balsa wood and densified black locust. The densified black locust required approximately three times the load to reach the same deflection as the balsa wood. The experiments also illustrated the effects of cross-sectional geometry and the resulting second moment of area.
The event was very well attended throughout the evening, and the research activities of the Chair of Timber Engineering attracted considerable interest until late at night. The many discussions and the active participation in the experiments provided an excellent opportunity to communicate science in an accessible and practical way.
