Fields of research

Research at the Chair of Timber Engineering and Construction Design is carried out on various fields of materials research and timber engineering as well as regarding light-weight and automotive structures.

A main topic in the field of materials research are thermo-hygro-mechanical (THM) processes for the modification of solid wood, i.a.:

• thermo-mechanical densification
• thermal modification
• thermo-hygro-mechanical moudling

This is the basis of the so-called wood moulding technology, which was develeped at the Institute and allows for plastic deformations of solid wood like known from metals. This enables the production of technical profiles like tubes. Moreover, spatially shaped shell elements can be carried out with this technology.

Such elements can be applied in load-bearing structures in civil engineering, architecture as well as in light-weight and automotive structures.

Further development concerns hybrid constructions, like local joints of polymer concrete and textile reinforcements of wooden structures.