In this area, scientific activities focus on increasing and consolidating the current knowledge of mechanical and structural behaviour of timber elements and systems - with enhanced performance - by use of advanced numerical modelling and analysis. This scientific area includes:

• Identification of properties to be enhanced
• Material properties needed in numerical models
• Design and performance models of enhanced timber structures
• Cracks parallel to the grain related to moisture content variations and different longitudinal shrinkage

The key areas for the research tasks are:

• Mechanical behaviour of clear wood
• Mechanical behaviour of Engineered Wood Products (e.g. glulam, laminated veneer timber, cross laminated timber, etc.)
• Structural behaviour of full-size timber elements
• Structural behaviour of reinforced and unreinforced timber joints
• Structural behaviour of curved timber elements - with and without reinforcement - subjected to positive bending moment
• Structural behaviour of timber elements with holes and/or notches, both with and without reinforcement
• Structural behaviour of carpentry joints, with and without reinforcement

For this scientific area, the following analysis tools will be adopted:

• Finite element modelling
• Fracture mechanics
• Continuum mechanics
• Failure criteria (e.g. Tsai-Wu criterion)
• Weibull weakest link theory