Overview of development and resarch in wooden structure

Abstract

Despite the fact that timber is such a versatile construction material, during this last century it has significantly lagged behind developments in steel and concrete, particularly in Australia. Whilst use of timber in residential house framing has been well established in both Australia and New Zealand since the 1940's; for many years, concrete and steel were perceived as the only viable engineering materials for larger commercial and industrial structures. However, concentrated research efforts, focused education programs and technology transfers from overseas countries over the past two decades, have facilitated the use of timber in non - residential markets. As a result, there has been considerable activity in both countries focusing on innovative development and application of timber in "engineered" structures. This paper presents an overview of various projects and initiatives that are current or have been recently completed.