Oriented Wood Fiber Floor Module for Bidirectional Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
The construction industry faces challenges in reducing environmental impact and improving productivity due to inefficient use of non-renewable materials like concrete and steel, and existing timber solutions are limited by low material efficiency, high CO2 emissions, and structural limitations, particularly in bidirectional stiffness and fire resistance.
Innovation Solution
A composite structural building module comprising an upper board joined to a structural base made of oriented wood fibers and binder, designed using optimization tools for maximum stiffness and shear strength, allowing bidirectional stiffness and efficient load distribution through a membrane effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If traditional timber solutions like CLT or LVL are used, then structural strength is achieved, but material efficiency is low (only 20-70% of tree utilized)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses oriented strand board (OSB) composite material made from wood strands oriented in specific directions and bonded with adhesive. This composite structure achieves high structural strength while utilizing 95% of forestry resources, resolving the contradiction between material efficiency and structural strength
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements bidirectional stiffness by orienting wood strands differently in different directions within the OSB panels. The strands are arranged to provide optimized structural properties in both longitudinal and transverse directions, allowing efficient material usage while maintaining required strength
2Weight of moving object
If lightweight timber slabs with ribs or beams are used, then weight is reduced, but structural stiffness is limited to one direction only
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the structural parameter from unidirectional rib/beam configuration to bidirectional OSB panel configuration with optimized strand orientation. This allows the structure to achieve lightweight properties while providing stiffness in both directions through the engineered composite material structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional rib/beam reinforcement to two-dimensional OSB panel structure with strands oriented in multiple directions. This dimensional change enables bidirectional stiffness while maintaining lightweight characteristics
3Loss of substance
If hollow wood layer or boxed timber structures are used, then material usage is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the building into modular OSB panels that can be manufactured separately and assembled on-site. This segmentation reduces material usage compared to monolithic structures while simplifying manufacturing through standardized panel production and easy assembly
4Strength
If conventional construction materials like concrete and steel are used, then structural strength is high, but environmental impact and CO2 emissions are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from conventional concrete and steel to engineered wood composite (OSB). This substitution maintains structural strength while dramatically reducing CO2 emissions and environmental impact, as wood is a renewable resource that sequesters carbon
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 module achieves high structural performance with reduced material use, enabling faster installation and lower CO2 emissions, while using up to 95% of forestry resources and allowing for larger, lighter structures with integrated insulation and fire resistance.
Implementation Method 1
allowing bidirectional stiffness and efficient load distribution through a membrane effect
Implementation Method 2
a structural base made of oriented wood fibers and binder
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3D
AI summary
A composite structural building module comprising an upper board joined to a structural base made of a composite material containing oriented wood fibers and binder and a modular building system comprising a plurality of said composite structural building modules and connecting means, wherein the composite structural building modules are structurally connected through the connecting means. A load-bearing structural system comprising a base consisting of at least one undulated shell comprising oriented wood fibers and binder, joined on its upper face to the underside of an upper board, an upper board located on the upper zone of the system, which receives the load, and is a board of a type selected from the group consisting of plywood, solid wood, OSB, CLT, chipboard, fiber-cement board, concrete board, WPC board, a composite board, a polymer board, a biopolymer board, a composite polymer board, and a board of the same material type as the material of the base, and joining means that join the upper board to the base, wherein at least one of the sides of the perimeter of the system is resting on and/or fixed to another structural element, and when the upper board receives a load, it transfers the forces derived from said load to the at least one undulated shell, whose design and the orientation of its fibers are deliberately determined by parameters generated using digital or analog optimization tools, in order to receive said forces and distribute them throughout the whole system mainly by means of the membrane effect, such that all the parts of the system collaborate along with the action of the joining means, maximizing the system's load-bearing capacity.