INVESTIGATION OF A NOVEL TIMBER-MORTAR CONSTRUCTIVE SYSTEM

Abstract

Timber constructions are well-know because are able to guarantee structural safety and easy assembling as well as high level of thermal insulation and living comfort. The new challenge is to enhance the use of local resources and starting to design the whole building m order to permit to dismantle and reuse/recycle the different elements/materials at the end of buildmg-life. A constructive technology that can answer to all the aforementioned requirements is represented by a timber-mortar composite structures recently proposed. The use of timber-masonry structures belongs to the European tradition and different typologies of wooden frame infilled with masonry or with clay/mortar have been used all over the world. This paper analyses the mechanical behaviour of a new concept of timber frame wall infilled with lime mortar: experimental results show that, for low-rising buildings, the presented system is a valuable alternative to timber shear-walls (e.g. Light Frame Timber or Cross Laminated Timber). Furthermore, the studied system permits to use small-section timber elements that can be easily obtained sawing local wood-; moreover, indoor air quality and living comfort are guaranteed using, for the whole construction only few natural row materials such as wood, lime, clay and hemp.