Results from web research

In the last week I have followed up on some interesting information on wood constructions. Especially in Lausanne the research on new techniques is widely developed. Two main subjects caught my attention.

Friction welding for wood
(http://ibois.epfl.ch/page12311.html)

At the École Polytechnique Fédèrale de Lausanne (EPFL) Dr. Bernhard Stamm developed a new production technique for wood. Friction welding is already used for different materials, but had to be reinvented for wood. By using friction welding wood can be laminated much faster than using normal adhesives. My interest lies in the possible production of large, solid wood structures.



Welded wood layers of beech (dark) and spruce - wood welding machine

Composite frames of wood and glass
(http://ibois.epfl.ch/page12021.html)

Another research done at the EPFL, this one by Marcel Haasis, is about composite frames of wood and glass. Here the advantage is made from an economic point of view. The frames fulfill several functions at the same time: stiffening, spatial separator, acoustic separator, thermal insulation, etc.

Frames of glass and wood, used for stiffness.

All researches at the EPFL conserning wood can be found at http://ibois.epfl.ch/ and are under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Yves Weinand.