Composite Timber Beam Using Alternating Fastener Angles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current timber construction methods result in significant wastage of woody material, slow tree harvesting cycles, and the use of excessive or high-moisture timber, which can exacerbate climate change and limit the carbon sequestration benefits of timber products.
Innovation Solution
The development of structural timber members composed of multiple small-diameter timber rounds, secured together with fasteners at alternating acute and obtuse angles, allowing for the creation of load-bearing beams with reduced wastage, faster harvesting, and lower weight, while utilizing otherwise discarded materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If traditional timber construction methods are used, then structural strength is achieved, but significant wastage of woody material occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the structural beam into multiple separate timber rounds (typically 3-7 rounds) that are assembled together to form the composite beam. This segmentation allows each round to be sourced from smaller, faster-growing trees rather than requiring large-diameter logs, significantly reducing material wastage while maintaining structural integrity through the composite construction.
2Productivity
If large-diameter timbers are harvested, then sufficient material for structural beams is obtained, but tree harvesting cycles become slow
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the beam into multiple smaller timber rounds, the invention enables use of wood from younger, faster-growing trees with smaller diameters. This eliminates the need to wait for trees to grow to large diameters, thereby accelerating the harvesting cycle and increasing productivity without compromising the final beam's structural capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple smaller timber rounds into a single composite beam structure. This merging allows the structural equivalent of a large-diameter timber to be achieved by assembling several smaller components, enabling faster harvesting cycles while maintaining the required quantity and strength.
3Weight of moving object
If conventional timber beams are used, then load-bearing capacity is sufficient, but weight and moisture content are excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the beam by constructing it from multiple smaller rounds with larger surface area-to-volume ratio, enabling more efficient drying and lower moisture content. The alternating grain orientation of the rounds also optimizes the strength-to-weight ratio, achieving sufficient load-bearing capacity with reduced weight compared to conventional solid timber beams.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The present invention provides a timber structural member comprising: a first timber round having a first cooperating surface extending longitudinally along the length thereof, a second timber round having a second and a third cooperating surfaces extending longitudinally along the length thereof, and a third timber round having a fourth cooperating surface extending longitudinally along the length thereof wherein, the first cooperating surface is shaped to cooperate with the second cooperating surface, and the third cooperating surface is shaped to cooperate with the fourth cooperating surface, the first, second and third timber rounds are secured together to form a structurally integral unit in which the first cooperating surface is in contact with the second cooperating surface, and the third cooperating surface is in contact with the fourth cooperating surface, and the first, second and third timber rounds are substantially parallel to each other, and wherein the first, second and third timber rounds are secured to each other by a plurality of fasteners spaced along the length of the member, the plurality of fasteners comprising fasteners provided at both acute and obtuse angles from a longitudinal axis of the structural member, the fasteners extending through the first, second and third timber rounds.