Research

I am currently developing a steel-CLT deconstructable and reusable structural system through a project titled, 4C2B: Century-scale Carbon-sequestration in Cross Laminated Timber Composite Bolted-steel Buildings. This project, funded by the DOE ARPA-E HESTIA Program and led by Dr. Jerome Hajjar (Northeastern University), is a collaboration with Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH), and OPAL Build. The project is developing novel connections between steel beams and CLT panels that enable composite action, which allows the steel and CLT to act as a single element, improving the strength and efficiency of the structure.

The natural growth of wood leads to significant variation in the mechanical properties of sawn lumber. This variation in mechanical properties at the board scale leads to variation in structural performance at the CLT scale.

Current design standards manage this uncertainty through conservative design guidelines, which cannot lead to materially-efficient and cost-effective designs.

The development of probabilistic approaches and reliability-based design methods for wood and engineered wood products is not only essential to safe and efficient wood structures, but also to increasing the competitiveness of wood and wood-based products in comparison to traditional building materials.