Page 16 - Build 153

Shorts
Timber-steel shear walls
New research at the University of Canterbury (UC) will improve seismic building design thanks to a grant from EQC’s 2016 Biennial Research Funding Programme.
UC HAS A HISTORY of world-class research excellence in timber structures, including the innovative post-tensioned timber technology invented by UC’s timber research team. This has been successfully used in building commercial and industrial timber structures.
Dr Minghao Li, UC, working with Tongji University, China, will research the seismic design of timber-steel hybrid shear wall systems for mid-rise light timber- framed buildings. UC Lecturer of Timber Engineering, Dr Li joined the university in 2014 after 10 years’ research experience in structural timber engineering in Canada.
‘I’m interested in using my timber expertise to contribute to UC’s timber research excellence and help build more timber buildings with better performance in New Zealand,’ Dr Li says.
Finding a solution for mid-rise
In many countries, including New Zealand, light timber frames have domin- ated low-rise house construction due to their cost e ciency and structural e ciency. However, with New Zealand’s high levels of seismicity, conventional light timber-framed shear walls may not be su ciently strong for taller buildings.
Dr Minghao Li is researching timber-steel solutions for mid-rise timber-framed buildings.
The aim of the research project on seismic design of hybrid timber-steel shear wall systems is to provide a cost- e ective timber-steel solution for mid-rise light timber-framed buildings suitable for New Zealand’s built environment.
What’s new?
ISSUE596
AN INTRODUCTION TO LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT
Life cycle assessment
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool that calculates the potential environmental impacts of building materials, building elements and whole buildings.
LCA is systematic and holistic, looking at production, use and disposal of any product.
LCA can support design
by showing the magnitude of environmental impacts and where they occur in the life cycle.
BUILDINGS, AND THE WAY PEOPLE USE THEM, consume a considerable amount of resources and energy. Life cycle assessment (LCA) of buildings combines information from energy simulation models with information about materials and nishes to identify potential environmental impacts.
LCA can provide signi cant data for:
● product manufacturers who want to know the
impact of what they produce and where they should focus their environmental improvements
● designers who want to understand the potential environmental impacts of di erent building design iterations and systems.
Internationally, LCA is increasingly used in construc- tion and is recognised in environmental rating tools.
Bulletin 596 An Introduction to Life Cycle Assessment provides an introduction to LCA, its applications and limitations.
Details Available for $13.50 from the BRANZ Shop at www.branz.co.nz or call 0800 80 80 85.
14 — April/May 2016 — Build 153
News
April 2016