Research on the effects and growth of damaging mechanisms in wooden structures

The PhD work is to conduct research on timber, mechanics of strength, and cyclic failure. Moreover, investigate the characterization and modelling of wood-based materials in this research field. By monitoring the cracks initiation and propagation of wooden materials in connections, as well as determining the fracture process zone, constitute key factors to understand the damage mechanism of materials to control the risk of material degradation and failure.

Therefore, consider a model for the damage initiation and propagation in wooden structures, to investigate the behavior of wood as it is an anisotropic material with different types of failure modes for shear, tension and compression stresses depending on the loading direction relative to its grain alignment. A three-dimensional numerical model will be employed in simulating nonlinear damage mechanisms in wooden structures by using advanced numerical tools like cohesive zones and XFEM using Abaqus FEA software to come out with a set of evaluated tools to analysis the effects and growth of damaging mechanisms in wooden structures which can greatly help to interpret its behavior, inconsistencies, shortening of the level of serviceability. 

Supervisors

Kjell Arne Malo

Francesco Mirko Massaro