Timber Material Characterization

The second research focus will study the material characterization of historic timber, to provide data for evidence-based design of conservation projects with historic timber structural components. This research focus will follow the same framework as that for masonry, involving the documentation of relevant historic structures with timber components and the experimental testing of timber samples. 

A second phase of experimental testing will use historic timber samples under simulated conditions of extreme climatic changes to understand the potential accelerated deterioration of the timber and its strength properties. Computational modelling will be used to numerically simulate the experimental testing conditions, relying on the documentation of historic structures to create high-level-of-detail geometrical models. Research activities will also include contribution to the material conditions library for illustration of common deterioration and damage mechanisms in historic timber.