Discussion: View Thread

RMT - Reinforced Mass Timber Nanoscale Model. This past week, I attended the WoodWorks Symposium on Mass Timber where I learned the many benefits of this building system, but at the same time identified some significant shortcomings in terms of reaching long spans. Here is a video of a quick Nanoscale Model and Testing of a flat balsa wood stick alone and a similar one reinforced with a 1/8" steel wire which I had taped along the bottom with home clear office tape to simulate some type of bonding between the balsa wood and the steel wire. Look at the video and see the many benefits that can be achieved. I wonder if any Engineering Research Universities have done any testing on "REINFORCED MASS TIMBER - RMT"?

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Pedro Munoz Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE
Principal
PRM Engineering, LLC
Methuen MA
(978)7388001
------------------------------

There are several universities in <g class="gr_ gr_1478 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="1478" data-gr-id="1478">USA</g> doing research, including the University of Washington, Oregon, and Maine. Here are a couple of links that may be of interest.

1. Tallwood Design Institute (University of Oregon & Oregon State University): http://tallwoodinstitute.org/

2. University of Maine research: https://composites.umaine.edu/key-services/wood-composites/cross-laminated-timber-mass-timber/

3. Mass Timber applications & research (with video!) from Mass Timber Conference: https://www.thinkwood.com/news/mass-timber-conference-recap-testing-and-research 

4. Article on tall buildings in <g class="gr_ gr_758 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="758" data-gr-id="758">US</g> using mass timber/mass timber hybrid structures: https://www.bdcnetwork.com/mass-timber-what-heck-wow

5. Other references for Mass Timber/CLT info: http://www.woodworks.org/design-and-tools/building-systems/mass-timberclt-publications/



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Stephanie Slocum P.E., M.ASCE
Founder
Engineers Rising LLC
www.engineersrising.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-03-2018 11:54
From: Pedro Munoz
Subject: REINFORCED MASS TIMBER - RMT Research

RMT - Reinforced Mass Timber Nanoscale Model. This past week, I attended the WoodWorks Symposium on Mass Timber where I learned the many benefits of this building system, but at the same time identified some significant shortcomings in terms of reaching long spans. Here is a video of a quick Nanoscale Model and Testing of a flat balsa wood stick alone and a similar one reinforced with a 1/8" steel wire which I had taped along the bottom with home clear office tape to simulate some type of bonding between the balsa wood and the steel wire. Look at the video and see the many benefits that can be achieved. I wonder if any Engineering Research Universities have done any testing on "REINFORCED MASS TIMBER - RMT"?

------------------------------
Pedro Munoz Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE
Principal
PRM Engineering, LLC
Methuen MA
(978)7388001
------------------------------

Thank You so much for your kind reply. This is great information!!!. Sure will take a look of it and see what has been done in terms of Hybrid Reinforced Mass Timber (RTM) either as normally reinforced with bars set into the cross lamination of timber layers (either glued-bonded similar to concrete or with carbon fiber strips pressed into the layers) or as post-tensioned wires bonded to layers of timber. Relatively speaking Timber and some types of Concrete have Modulus of Elasticity in a similar range of order of magnitude, which could lead one to believe that when running beams, slabs, and columns testing in bending there may be some interesting behavior to study. There is so much that Timber alone can provide, but when combined with some other higher strength materials, then some interesting benefits in terms of overall sizes of cross member sections can be achieved. Will wait to see what the Experimental Testing can show!!!

------------------------------
Pedro Munoz Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE
Principal
PRM Engineering, LLC
Methuen MA
(978)7388001
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-09-2018 11:42
From: Stephanie Slocum
Subject: REINFORCED MASS TIMBER - RMT Research

There are several universities in <g class="gr_ gr_1478 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="1478" data-gr-id="1478">USA</g> doing research, including the University of Washington, Oregon, and Maine. Here are a couple of links that may be of interest.

1. Tallwood Design Institute (University of Oregon & Oregon State University): http://tallwoodinstitute.org/

2. University of Maine research: https://composites.umaine.edu/key-services/wood-composites/cross-laminated-timber-mass-timber/

3. Mass Timber applications & research (with video!) from Mass Timber Conference: https://www.thinkwood.com/news/mass-timber-conference-recap-testing-and-research 

4. Article on tall buildings in <g class="gr_ gr_758 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Grammar only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="758" data-gr-id="758">US</g> using mass timber/mass timber hybrid structures: https://www.bdcnetwork.com/mass-timber-what-heck-wow

5. Other references for Mass Timber/CLT info: http://www.woodworks.org/design-and-tools/building-systems/mass-timberclt-publications/



------------------------------
Stephanie Slocum P.E., M.ASCE
Founder
Engineers Rising LLC
www.engineersrising.com

Original Message:
Sent: 10-03-2018 11:54
From: Pedro Munoz
Subject: REINFORCED MASS TIMBER - RMT Research

RMT - Reinforced Mass Timber Nanoscale Model. This past week, I attended the WoodWorks Symposium on Mass Timber where I learned the many benefits of this building system, but at the same time identified some significant shortcomings in terms of reaching long spans. Here is a video of a quick Nanoscale Model and Testing of a flat balsa wood stick alone and a similar one reinforced with a 1/8" steel wire which I had taped along the bottom with home clear office tape to simulate some type of bonding between the balsa wood and the steel wire. Look at the video and see the many benefits that can be achieved. I wonder if any Engineering Research Universities have done any testing on "REINFORCED MASS TIMBER - RMT"?

------------------------------
Pedro Munoz Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE
Principal
PRM Engineering, LLC
Methuen MA
(978)7388001
------------------------------

You may wish to check with the wood council.  In Canada there is an incentive plan by the Government to encourage the idea of high rise wood construction.  In Europe there has been construction of a 14 story building.

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David Thompson P.E., M.ASCE
Principal
KTA Structural Engineers Ltd.
Calgary AB
(403) 246-8827
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-03-2018 11:54
From: Pedro Munoz
Subject: REINFORCED MASS TIMBER - RMT Research

RMT - Reinforced Mass Timber Nanoscale Model. This past week, I attended the WoodWorks Symposium on Mass Timber where I learned the many benefits of this building system, but at the same time identified some significant shortcomings in terms of reaching long spans. Here is a video of a quick Nanoscale Model and Testing of a flat balsa wood stick alone and a similar one reinforced with a 1/8" steel wire which I had taped along the bottom with home clear office tape to simulate some type of bonding between the balsa wood and the steel wire. Look at the video and see the many benefits that can be achieved. I wonder if any Engineering Research Universities have done any testing on "REINFORCED MASS TIMBER - RMT"?

------------------------------
Pedro Munoz Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE
Principal
PRM Engineering, LLC
Methuen MA
(978)7388001
------------------------------