Engineered Wood Multi-Floor Structures With Bi-Directional Slabs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prefabricated wood structures in building construction face limitations such as limited size of structural elements due to transportation constraints, non-rigid connections between elements, and lack of structural continuity, leading to inefficient load distribution and increased weight.
Innovation Solution
A multi-floor building structure using engineered wood with vertical through holes and collar reinforcement configurations, combined with longitudinal and transverse ribs, to create a structurally continuous bi-directional slab that distributes loads efficiently and reduces weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional prefabricated wood structures use independent structural elements connected by nails or metallic nodes, then ease of manufacture and assembly is improved, but structural continuity and load-resistance efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical connection systems (nails, screws, metallic nodes) with a chemical bonding system using structural adhesive. The adhesive is applied to the bonding surface of engineered wood elements, creating a continuous bonded interface that provides both ease of assembly and structural continuity. This substitution eliminates the discontinuities inherent in mechanical fastening while maintaining prefabrication advantages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction by bonding multiple engineered wood elements (such as CLT panels or glulam beams) together with structural adhesive to create a unified composite structure. The adhesive layer creates a continuous stress transfer path between elements, making them behave as a single rigid structural body rather than independent components, thereby achieving both manufacturability and structural efficiency.
2Strength
If structural elements are made larger to reduce the number of connections, then structural efficiency is improved, but transportation limitations worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the building structure into modular engineered wood elements of manageable sizes that can be transported using standard transportation infrastructure. These segmented elements are then bonded together with structural adhesive to create large-scale continuous structures. The segmentation enables transportation while the adhesive bonding ensures the assembled elements achieve the structural efficiency of larger monolithic elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple transported wood elements into a unified structural system through adhesive bonding. The chemical bonding creates a continuous stress transfer path that makes the assembled structure behave as a single rigid body, achieving the structural efficiency of large elements while maintaining the transportation advantages of smaller modular components.
3Strength
If concrete layers are added to provide structural continuity, then structural continuity is improved, but weight increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from heavy concrete to lightweight structural adhesive and engineered wood composites. The structural adhesive provides the necessary bonding strength and continuity while weighing significantly less than concrete. This parameter change maintains structural continuity and load-resistance efficiency while dramatically reducing the overall weight of the building structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite engineered wood materials (such as CLT and glulam) bonded with structural adhesive to create a lightweight alternative to concrete construction. The composite wood-adhesive system provides comparable structural continuity and strength to concrete while maintaining the weight advantages of wood, achieving structural efficiency without the excessive weight penalty of concrete layers.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional wood construction methods are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but building height and resistance are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical wood construction methods (nailing, screwing) with structural adhesive bonding. This substitution enables the creation of taller, more resistant buildings while maintaining ease of manufacture. The adhesive bonding provides superior structural continuity and load-resistance compared to mechanical fastening, allowing buildings to exceed the traditional four-to-five-story limit while keeping construction processes relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite engineered wood materials (CLT, glulam, LVL) bonded with structural adhesive to create high-strength, tall-building-capable structures. These composite materials provide the necessary strength and stiffness for multi-story construction while maintaining the ease of manufacture associated with wood construction. The engineered wood composites enable buildings to reach heights and resistances comparable to steel or concrete while preserving wood construction advantages.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a structurally continuous and lightweight building structure capable of withstanding bending loads, optimizing strength and reducing material usage, while allowing for prefabrication and efficient assembly.
Implementation Method 1
horizontal structures made of engineered wood elements connected together preferably through durable moisture-resistant structural adhesives such as polyurethane or other resins
Data Source
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AI summary
A multi-floor building structure comprising pillars (1), and at least one horizontal structure (5), made of engineered wood, comprising an upper horizontal layer (10) and a lower horizontal layer (20), made of engineered wood segments structurally adhered together providing structural continuity at least in the longitudinal and transversal horizontal directions (LD, TD) across the entire horizontal structure (5), and vertically separated and rigidly connected through an array of intersected longitudinal and transversal vertical ribs (31, 32); wherein the thickness and/or the load-resistance per square centimeter of the upper and/or lower horizontal layers (10, 20) increases, in a gradual or stepped manner, with the proximity to the vertical through holes (3); and/or the thickness, the load-resistance per square centimeter and/or the proximity between successive longitudinal vertical ribs (31) and successive transversal vertical ribs (32) increases, in a gradual or stepped manner, with the proximity to the vertical through holes (3).