Track B - Unconventional Materials and Experimental Structures & Modern Mass Timber Structures
1 PDH - Today, many built works utilize materials with well-established precedents, standards, and design guidelines (e.g., steel, concrete, and wood). While these structures may meet strength and/or serviceability criteria, considering a broader range of materials may lead to more sustainable systems. Unconventional materials may offer environmental, economic, and social advantages when used in place of or in combination with well-established materials in building structures. This presentation will include discussions of recent research and design projects that have utilized unconventional building materials such as polyester rope, aluminum cast into cracked clay, and scrap acrylic.
1 PDH - Mass timber has the potential to revolutionize the way we build, offering us an alternative material that is renewable, sustainable, highly prefabricated, and beautiful. However, realizing this potential means that we need to operate in new ways. Starting from the inherent material properties of wood and branching out to topics including supply chain and code approvals, this presentation will examine what makes timber projects different from their steel and concrete counterparts.