Wooden Column Head Load Transfer for Multi-Storey Timber Construction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wood-based building constructions face limitations in achieving large column spacings and multi-storey buildings due to the inherent properties of wood, which restricts the thickness of beams and leads to reduced room height and limited storey count, as well as the need for additional support structures like steel or reinforced concrete.
Innovation Solution
A floor slab construction using wooden columns and column heads with alternating grain directions, where the column heads are designed to transfer forces directly to the lower columns without passing through the floor slab, allowing for increased column spacing and eliminating the need for non-wooden support elements by integrating the functions of longitudinal and transverse beams within the floor slab itself.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the thickness of cross and longitudinal beams is increased to support larger column spacings, then the load-bearing capacity is improved, but the room height is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the load-bearing function from the floor slab and transfers it to vertical columns. The column heads with recesses allow upper columns to rest directly on lower columns, bypassing the floor slab for load transmission. This separates the functions of the floor slab (floor support) and columns (vertical load bearing), enabling large column spacings without increasing beam thickness.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional timber construction with transverse and longitudinal beams is used, then the floor structure is stable, but the number of storeys is limited due to wood's weakness perpendicular to grain
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of transverse and longitudinal beams into the floor slab itself through alternating wood layers with perpendicular grain directions. This cross-laminated structure provides stability in both directions without requiring separate beam elements, enabling the floor slab to support multiple storeys while maintaining structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor slab uses composite construction with alternating layers of wood with perpendicular grain directions. This cross-laminated wood composite material combines the strength of wood in the grain direction with stability perpendicular to the grain, overcoming the inherent limitations of solid wood and enabling multi-storey construction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If wood is used for columns and floor slabs, then the building is made of natural material, but large column spacings require excessive beam thickness that reduces room height
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the vertical load-bearing function from the floor slab system and assigns it to dedicated column elements. The column heads with recesses create direct load paths from upper to lower columns, allowing the floor slab to remain thin while supporting large column spacings. This functional separation enables both large spacing flexibility and maintained room height with pure wood construction.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4C
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Storey ceiling construction having a first lower wooden support (5) for supporting a storey ceiling, a first upper wooden support (5) for supporting a further storey ceiling and a first support head (6) made of wood for introducing the forces of the storey ceiling into the first lower wooden support (5). The first support head (6) lies on the first lower wooden support (5). The first upper wooden support (5) is supported directly on the first lower wooden support.