Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture / Development of an integrated approach of testing and numerical verifications which respects and further develops the basic rules of the Eurocodes

RP-7 is part of the Cluster of Excellence IntCDC at the University of Stuttgart. The development of an integrated approach for the design verification of new construction products and processes on the basis of experimental and numerical investigations (abbr. IATN) which respects or further develops the basic rules in Eurocodes in particular, but not exclusively, for timber construction is the aim of RP7.

There are major obstacles to the introduction of new products and processes in the building industry, because to be applied in practice they must either follow standards such as Eurocodes or have an individual approval. These procedures ensure that general safety requirements are met, but they may delay or even prevent a rapid introduction of innovative construction products and processes. In addition design codes such as Eurocodes are developed in a long tradition mainly in view of “hand-calculation” hence numerical methods like FE are not mentioned.

IATN allows for innovative building products and procedures to be used and at the same time ensures compliance with required safety levels and can make a significant contribution to the core topics of IntCDC, in order to utilize of the full potential of digital construction technologies including planning, design and construction with prefabrication and erection. The idea behind IATN is an integrated design approach, whereby extensive experimental investigations can be replaced by numerically simulated tests. Experimental tests are however needed for the validation of numerical models, which then allow within parameter investigations to produce “fictive test results” which can be dealt with as proposed in Eurocode 0 Annex D. Within the development of IATN a case study on slender soft- and hardwood columns and their connections will be conducted.

On the one hand the IATN can be transferred to various other materials and situations dealt with in other RPs, on the other hand the case study on slender timber columns with adequate joints contributes directly to the multi-storey timber buildings system developed by RP3, implemented in the demonstrator.

Institute of Structural Design, University of Stuttgart
Head of Institute
Prof. Dr.-Ing. U. Kuhlmann
Project Manager: Janusch Töpler, M.Sc

DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)

01.2019 - 06.2022

Töpler, Janusch; Kuhlmann, Ulrike; Buchholz, Lea; Machanek, Sabrina: Guidelines for a Finite Element Based Design of Timber Structures. 2022

Töpler, Janusch; Kuhlmann, Ulrike: In-plane buckling of beech LVL columns. In: International Network on Timber Engineering (Hg.): Proceedings of: INTER 9th meeting. Bad Aibling, Deutschland, 22. August -25. August 2022

Kuhlmann, Ulrike; Töpler, Janusch: Experimentelle und numerische Untersuchungen von Brettschichtholz aus Buchen-Furnierschichtholz (BauBuche). In: Kuhlmann, et al. (Hg.) 2022, Holzbau Forschung und Praxis, S.131-138, Online. 2022

Kuhlmann, Ulrike; Töpler, Janusch: Imperfections of slender glulam beams. INTER 8th meeting. Online, 16. - 19. August 2021

Kuhlmann, Ulrike; Gauß, Julius: Stiffness of Steel-Timber Dowel Connections - Experimental and Numerical Research. INTER 8th meeting. Online, 16. - 19. August 2021

Kuhlmann, Ulrike; Töpler, Janusch: FE-gestützte Bemessung im Holzbau. In: Ulrike Kuhlmann et al. (Hg.): Holzbau Forschung und Praxis. Doktorandenkolloquium. S. 71 - 78. Stuttgart, Deutschland, 05. - 06. März 2020.