Steel and Timber Structures Research Area

Our work addresses critical questions on extending the service life of existing structures and developing new materials and methods for more robust and sustainable steel and timber structures. We focus on existing steel and composite structures, enhancing their longevity with advanced assessments and innovative repair techniques, particularly in fatigue life extension. We also pioneer new applications of various steel materials and design concepts to meet higher sustainability standards. Additionally, we are advancing timber construction to create sustainable, high-performance structures.

Our Research

Our research in the field of steel and composite structures is today primarily directed towards infrastructures, particularly bridges. Two research tracks are in focus. The first is concerned with existing steel and composite structures. In here we work with topics such as advanced structural assessment, new strengthening and repair techniques and methods for prolonging the service life of existing structures. In particular, fatigue assessment and fatigue life extension are topics for which the group has been recognized nationally and internationally.

The second track is directed towards new (often innovative) applications of different steel materials, technical solutions and concepts to meet higher demands on economic and environmental sustainability in new construction. The use of stainless steels, weathering steels and high-strength steels along with innovative design concepts and new production technologies belong to this area. During the last five years, we have been very successful in developing methods and concepts that are today finding their way to practical application and we foresee very promising potential for continued work in this area.

Timber is one of the oldest building materials. Building with timber is one of the key elements to achieve a more sustainable built environment and shift the construction sector towards lower carbon emissions. This includes the creation of more timber structures of higher complexity, which traditionally have been realized with less sustainable building products. With the marked development of new engineered wood products, such as cross-laminated timber, and the creation of high-performance timber structures, engineers are facing new challenges in their design works with these new products and construction types. Simplified design is not acceptable anymore for modern, complex, high performance timber structures in which connections play a key role with regards to the safety, reliability, robustness, and efficiency. Understanding the behavior of complex timber structures is necessary to ensure the robustness, reliability, and efficiency of high-performance structures. This will enable wider use of timber as modern construction material in large and complex structures and contribute to a more sustainable built environment.

Research questions

The main two research questions that underline the research conducted in the Steel & Timber Structures Research Area are:

1. How can the service life of existing structures (with focus on bridges) be maintained or extended with reference to increased service loads and various degradation mechanisms?

In this regard, our research focus has been on the development and verification of:

advanced assessment methods and models
methods for fatigue life extension and improvement of fatigue strength
methods for strengthening and repair
analysis and characterization of loads and their effect on structures

2. How can new materials, concepts, production methods and design models be developed and implemented to produce more sustainable and robust steel and timber structures?

In this regard, we focus on:

new and advanced products and production methods and their impact on structural performance
conceptual design and structural design and optimization of steel and timber structures, elements, and connections
economic and environmental sustainability
safety, reliability, and robustness