Engineering Commons^™

An Exploration Of Structural Timber Innovation, Simon Beskitt

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In many undergraduate programs of study, civil and structural engineering students are exposed to introductory material regarding timber construction. The information received in the undergraduate experience typically consists of a brief summary of the basic mechanical properties of wood but does not significantly cover timber design. Much greater emphasis is placed on design practices involving steel and concrete, likely due to their prominence in contemporary building trends in civil engineering. While it is true that wood is one of the older materials in terms of its utilization in structural and architectural design, it is certainly not an antiquated choice. Wood …