Natural Structural Materials: Super Tall Timber

I envision a sustainable future in which natural materials play an increased and central role in the construction of the built environment. The fundamental premise of my research is that innovative approaches to research, processing, modification and design of natural materials can increase their role in constructing our future. Throughout history timber and other plant-based materials have played a major role in domestic construction, and still do around the world, but as the global population urbanizes, people live more densely in taller buildings. I believe we can make such tall buildings more naturally.

This proposal seeks to further the structural engineering knowledge necessary to make tall timber buildings a reality. The research funded through this Big Pitch proposal would enable the use of natural materials in taller and larger buildings as a substitute for steel and concrete, and to reduce the carbon emissions associated with them. Natural materials are uncommon in the built environment beyond a domestic scale, but my research suggests these materials have unmet potential as more sustainable alternatives to steel and concrete. Others share this view: there has been significant recent interest in tall timber, although "tall" in contemporary timber buildings is up to 10 stories; this height is barely midrise in steel or concrete. A proposal by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill for a 125m building of timber and a newly announced $2 million design competition by the US Department of Agriculture for wooden skyscrapers extend the interest. There is an aspiration to construct the tallest timber building that should be accompanied by research excellence.

Tall timber buildings are becoming a reality, and we have a real opportunity to lead this area. This proposal is a step in that direction. With proper integration, this research will have a significant impact because it will have both academic research "push" and practical industry "pull" into the market. Within the context of the EPSRC Review of Ground and Structural Engineering, this proposal makes contributions in a number of areas: timber engineering is an area where the UK leads in consultancy, but needs to continue to develop the academic research to further our knowledge and ensure continued excellence. Advanced research on timber high-rise will help address structural design excellence in the academic community. The engineering impact will be in greater understanding of the design of tall timber structures, while the economic impact could be toward higher-value use of timber materials. The UK produces over 10 million tons of timber, and is the third largest importer of timber in the world [2]. The environmental benefits should be clear - timber buildings are lighter than equivalent steel or concrete ones, so foundations can be smaller, the material is a carbon sink, and by many measures, the processing of timber is less carbon intensive than steel or concrete. The raw material is available as a sustainable and expanding resource.