31st regulars’ table for timber construction structural engineers on June 06, 2024 at TU Graz

On Thursday, June 6, 2024, the 31st Timber Construction Statics Regulars’ Table took place at the Structural Engineering Center of Graz University of Technology.

With 35 participants from the fields of structural engineering and structural design from all facets of planning and execution of timber construction, a very interesting, varied and, above all, important interdisciplinary specialist discussion was once again held.

After a very informative and impressive guided tour through the laboratory of the Institute of Timber Construction and Wood Technology at Graz University of Technology in the Building Technology Center by DI Dr. Andreas Ringhofer, the 31st Timber Construction and Structural Engineers Stammtisch began with a welcome and a brief review of the last Stammtisch in March of this year.

FH-Prof. Dr. Markus Wallner-Novak from the FH Joanneum in Graz and the software manufacturer Waller Mild introduced the participants to the topic of bracing with his lecture “Structural concepts, modeling and load-bearing behavior in multi-storey timber construction”, with both theoretical input and practical approaches. In particular, he addressed the approaches from standardization, but above all the practical construction view and approach of structural engineers, who are paying increasing attention to the topic of bracing in their daily work. This is also due to the fact that timber construction is becoming increasingly large-volume and, above all, higher, and these large building heights have an increasing influence on the issue of bracing.

Martin Burgschwaiger from ConLignum ZT GmbH then gave a presentation on the “Differences in horizontal bracing from 2 to 12 storeys in cross-laminated timber” from a practical structural engineering perspective. Through the different models and approaches as well as comparative calculations on concrete national and international projects, he shows the great importance of the topic of bracing in timber construction and also the engineering approach to this topic. The questions and discussion approaches of the participants showed the great importance as well as the similar approaches and models of the participants.

Finally, DI Georg Stelzhammer, representing the IHBV, gave the participants an overview of the IHBV’s current projects and publications. It became clear that many developments are underway but still require intensive processing and scientific research.

Intensive and well-founded discussions and practical approaches from the participants contributed to the fact that this regulars’ table was very successful from a technical and timber construction perspective. As usual, the lively participation of the participants was followed by an informal exchange over the buffet, which concluded the evening in a pleasant atmosphere. The regulars’ table once again proved to be a very important platform for networking experts at practitioner level and for exchanging knowledge in the field of timber construction at a high level.

We are already looking forward to the next Stammtisch for timber construction structural engineers!