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Contemporary Applications of Wood in Architecture and Construction
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Contemporary Applications of Wood in Architecture and Construction

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 20285

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Meng Gong

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Guest Editor
Wood Science and Technology Center, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3C 2G6, Canada
Interests: wood mechanics; engineered wood products; tiny wooden houses; life cycle assessment
Dr. Takuro Mori

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Structural Mechanics of Building, Architecture Program, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 739-8527, Japan
Interests: timber construction; building engineering; building materials; durability of wooden construction; timber connection
Dr. Ebenezer Ussher

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Structural & Timber Engineering, Section for Buildings, Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Department of Mathematical Sciences and Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Elizabeth Stephansens v. 15, 1433 Ås, Norway
Interests: civil engineering; structural engineering; dynamics of structures; finite element modeling; structural analysis; stress analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Wood, a timeless gift from nature, holds a profound place in human civilization's history. Today, it stands as a versatile cornerstone of modern architecture and construction. Beyond its aesthetic allure, wood embodies a renewable resource with a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to traditional building materials. This inherent quality aligns seamlessly with global initiatives centered around combatting climate change. The study of wood materials is not just about structural strength; it encompasses thermal efficiency, acoustic properties, fire resistance, and longevity, making it a vital focus for architects, engineers, and environmentalists seeking innovative, eco-conscious solutions.

Understanding wood materials requires an in-depth knowledge of wood’s properties, cutting-edge technologies for processing wood, the structural prowess of modern engineered wood products, life cycle assessments, and considerations regarding wood buildings' end-of-life phases. The significance of wood in architecture transcends mere aesthetics; it represents a sustainable commitment to our planet and the well-being of future generations.

We are pleased to be able to invite you to provide your invaluable contributions to our Special Issue. We encourage you to share your research achievements and insights in order to promote the increased use of wood in our daily lives. This Special Issue aims to explore the mechanical behavior and real-world performance of modern engineered wood products and innovative mass timber building connections and their environmental impacts. We welcome original research articles and reviews on various topics relevant to research area, including (but not limited to) the following:

  • The structural applications of wood from plantation trees;
  • Modern engineered wood products;
  • Innovative connections for mass timber buildings;
  • In-service performance analysis of wood buildings;
  • Architectural design aspects of wood buildings;
  • Life cycle assessments of wood buildings.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Meng Gong
Dr. Takuro Mori
Dr. Ebenezer Ussher
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • architectural design
  • modern connections
  • engineered wood products
  • in-service performance
  • life cycle assessment
  • mass timber construction

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1551 KiB  
Article
Development and Validation of a Theoretical Model for Flexural Behavior in Timber-Concrete and Bamboo-Concrete Composite Beams
by Thaís P. L. Siqueira, M’hamed Y. R. da Glória, Enzo Martinelli and Romildo D. Toledo Filho
Buildings 2025, 15(12), 2021; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15122021 - 12 Jun 2025
Viewed by 392
Abstract
The growing demand for sustainable construction has encouraged the use of composite beams combining timber or bamboo with concrete to optimize structural performance and reduce environmental impact. These hybrid systems, widely used in new constructions and retrofits, present modeling challenges due to the [...] Read more.
The growing demand for sustainable construction has encouraged the use of composite beams combining timber or bamboo with concrete to optimize structural performance and reduce environmental impact. These hybrid systems, widely used in new constructions and retrofits, present modeling challenges due to the nonlinear interaction between materials and their mechanical connections. This study aims to develop and validate a finite element model to simulate the nonlinear flexural behavior of these composite beams. The model is based on an exact solution for two-layer elastic systems and incorporates nonlinear constitutive laws for concrete and timber/bamboo, along with a trilinear shear–slip law to represent interface behavior. Unlike most models, it is applicable to different connector types and a range of materials—including bamboo, timber, and both conventional and lightweight concrete. An incremental–iterative solution captures progressive deformations and failure mechanisms. Validation against 16 experimental beams showed accurate predictions of linear load capacity, mid-span deflection, and initial stiffness. Over 80% of the results showed deviations below 30%, and 50% were within 20%. The model also correctly captured the experimental failure mode in all cases. This approach provides a reliable and versatile tool for the structural analysis and design of composite beams. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Applications of Wood in Architecture and Construction)
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21 pages, 16868 KiB  
Article
High-Rise Timber Offices: Main Architectural and Structural Design Parameters
by Hüseyin Emre Ilgın and Özlem Nur Aslantamer
Buildings 2024, 14(7), 1951; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14071951 - 27 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3842
Abstract
High-rise office structures constructed using timber material (with a minimum of eight stories) signify a burgeoning and favorable sector, mainly owing to their ability to offer substantial environmental and economic advantages across their lifespan. However, it is crucial to recognize that the current [...] Read more.
High-rise office structures constructed using timber material (with a minimum of eight stories) signify a burgeoning and favorable sector, mainly owing to their ability to offer substantial environmental and economic advantages across their lifespan. However, it is crucial to recognize that the current corpus of scholarly literature lacks a thorough investigation into vital aspects concerning the architectural and structural planning of these sustainable structures. In an effort to fill this gap and augment the understanding of advancing international tendencies, this paper delved into data originating from 27 high-rise offices on a worldwide scale. The primary findings were: (i) Central core arrangements were the most popular, accounting for 67%, followed by peripheral types at 22%. (ii) Prismatic designs were the most frequently used at 85%, with free forms making up 11%. (iii) Material combinations involving timber and concrete were widely prevalent, making up 70% of composite constructions, which were 74% of the sample group, with pure timber constructions at 26%. (iv) Structural systems predominantly utilized shear walled frame systems, comprising 85% of the total. This article serves as a valuable resource for architectural designers, offering guidance on planning and executing future sustainable developments in the domain of high-rise timber office. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Applications of Wood in Architecture and Construction)
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35 pages, 5374 KiB  
Article
Life Cycle Assessment of an Office Building in Finland Using a Custom Assessment Tool
by Hüseyin Emre Ilgın, Arttu Saviharju, Markku Karjalainen and Teemu Hirvilammi
Buildings 2024, 14(7), 1944; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14071944 - 26 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2250
Abstract
Life cycle analysis (LCA) is a crucial instrument in the construction industry, offering a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impacts at every stage of a building’s lifecycle. Recently introduced into Finnish construction legislation, this approach has not yet been thoroughly researched in relation [...] Read more.
Life cycle analysis (LCA) is a crucial instrument in the construction industry, offering a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impacts at every stage of a building’s lifecycle. Recently introduced into Finnish construction legislation, this approach has not yet been thoroughly researched in relation to the Finnish Ministry of the Environment (FMoE) assessment method, nor have new calculation techniques been proposed to address its shortcomings. Furthermore, Finnish research on environmental impact assessment has predominantly focused on residential buildings, leaving a scarcity of studies on office buildings. This paper aims to fill these gaps in the literature, considering LCA, carbon footprint, and carbon handprint assessment tools of concrete-, timber-, and steel-framed cases. Our results are as follows: (1) the majority of the carbon footprint of a concrete-framed case originated from emissions associated with energy use and second largest share of total emissions occurred during the product phase of the building and within this phase, the building services contribute the most to product-related emissions; (2) a significant portion of these emissions came from facades and floor structures; (3) the carbon footprint of the timber-framed option was significantly lower than that of its concrete- and steel-framed counterparts; (4) steel-framed option’s carbon footprint was nearly equivalent to that of the concrete-framed option; (5) estimated carbon handprint of the timber-framed option was considerably higher than that of the concrete- and steel-framed options, primarily due to the carbon storage capacity of the timber components; (6) steel-framed option’s carbon handprint surpassed that of the concrete-framed option because of the high recycling and reuse potential of steel components; (7) the LCA method used by FMoE has some unclear areas. These ambiguities include how to assess the impacts of carbonation in cement-based products and the replacement of building components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Applications of Wood in Architecture and Construction)
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14 pages, 3033 KiB  
Article
Estimating the Single Shear Strength Performance of Joints Using Screws and Nails with Decayed Wood
by Takuro Mori, Ryo Inoue and Kei Tanaka
Buildings 2024, 14(7), 1924; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14071924 - 24 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1045
Abstract
To enable the long-term use of existing wooden structures, appropriately evaluating the extent of damage of the biodeterioration of structural performance, including members and joint systems, is necessary. To give one example, accurately estimating the single shear strength performance of nail and screw [...] Read more.
To enable the long-term use of existing wooden structures, appropriately evaluating the extent of damage of the biodeterioration of structural performance, including members and joint systems, is necessary. To give one example, accurately estimating the single shear strength performance of nail and screw joints with decay is crucial. Therefore, this study proposes a method to model this by dividing wood into multiple layers with different strength performance, considering the grade of deterioration in a cross-section of decayed wood. The model was used to differentiate the sound layer and three decayed layers (multilayer) according to the extent of the damage. The estimated values, which were produced using the proposed model, were compared to the single shear strength of screw and nail joints with decay using two species of wood, namely Abies sachalinensis (Todomatsu) and Cryptomeria japonica (Sugi). The results point to a good fit between the average value of the experimental results and the estimated values of the proposed model. Compared with the existing (single-layer) model, the proposed model improved the accuracy of estimating the strength of wood undergoing early deterioration and therefore was considered usable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Applications of Wood in Architecture and Construction)
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17 pages, 6483 KiB  
Article
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) in Compression Perpendicular to the Plane: Experimental Analysis on the Column below the Wall Load Configuration
by Rodrigo Adolfo Benitez Mendes, Matheus Erpen Benincá, Mahbube Subhani, Andrey Pereira Acosta, Rafael de Avila Delucis, Jean Marie Désir, Inácio Benvegnu Morsch, Hüseyin Emre Ilgın and Markku Karjalainen
Buildings 2024, 14(3), 607; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030607 - 26 Feb 2024
Viewed by 2622
Abstract
This study investigates the load-bearing properties of cross-laminated timber (CLT) under compression perpendicular to the grain. Different series of CLT panels with varying layups, layer thicknesses, and overall depths were tested. Also, the compression perpendicular to the grain properties of CLT plate specimens [...] Read more.
This study investigates the load-bearing properties of cross-laminated timber (CLT) under compression perpendicular to the grain. Different series of CLT panels with varying layups, layer thicknesses, and overall depths were tested. Also, the compression perpendicular to the grain properties of CLT plate specimens is compared against clear wood and cubic CLT specimens. The results show a 30% reduction in modulus perpendicular to the grain for cubic samples compared to clear specimens. Increasing the number of layers from three to five leads to a 21% higher modulus, while increasing the overall depth from 105 to 175 mm results (with the same number of layers) in a 17% reduction. The overall depth significantly affects the CLT’s modulus and strength under compression perpendicular to the grain. The study also compares two analytical models for determining the transversal compression factor, kc,90. Although the models showed satisfactory results for thinner CLTs, their accuracy decreased with greater panel depth. These findings enhance the understanding of CLT panels for structural applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Applications of Wood in Architecture and Construction)
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29 pages, 385 KiB  
Article
Views of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Manufacturer Representatives around the World on CLT Practices and Its Future Outlook
by Hüseyin Emre Ilgın, Markku Karjalainen and Pinja Mikkola
Buildings 2023, 13(12), 2912; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13122912 - 22 Nov 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4497
Abstract
Due to its recent emergence, there is a limited body of global market research available on CLT. Presently, the literature lacks comprehensive understanding regarding the present state, varied uses, and future outlook of CLT construction at a global level. The objective of this [...] Read more.
Due to its recent emergence, there is a limited body of global market research available on CLT. Presently, the literature lacks comprehensive understanding regarding the present state, varied uses, and future outlook of CLT construction at a global level. The objective of this article is to address this knowledge gap by conducting semi-structured, in-depth interviews with CLT manufacturer representatives around the world, including Austria, Italy, Czech Republic, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Japan, Canada, and Uruguay. Critical findings emphasized that (1) the predominant mention was about the insufficient knowledge and experience within construction professionals; (2) a clear need for heightened expertise and training in the domain of CLT was underscored; (3) CLT was regarded as a favorable choice in efforts to combat climate change; (4) CLT was deemed highly appropriate for settings marked by variable climatic conditions; (5) CLT producers, particularly those with comprehensive, vertically integrated operations encompassing the entire processing cycle, remained unaffected by the rise in raw material costs; (6) the COVID-19 pandemic generally yielded positive impacts on the CLT market; (7) primary application of CLT, as emphasized by most manufacturers, is in residential and institutional projects; and (8) most manufacturers noted the expansive and boundless opportunities within the market, especially considering the climate crises as potential future avenues for the utilization of CLT. This article aims to advance the widespread adoption of CLT within the global construction sector. It will achieve this by elucidating the obstacles, possibilities, and forthcoming prospects associated with CLT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Applications of Wood in Architecture and Construction)

Review

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26 pages, 11148 KiB  
Review
Advancements and Applications of Wood-Based Sandwich Panels in Modern Construction
by Elena Vladimirova and Meng Gong
Buildings 2024, 14(8), 2359; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14082359 - 31 Jul 2024
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4104
Abstract
Wood sandwich panels are widely utilized in residential, commercial, and industrial settings due to their excellent thermal insulation characteristics, ease of installation, and high strength-to-weight ratio. This review provides an overview on experimental outcomes demonstrating the structural integrity and versatility of wood sandwich [...] Read more.
Wood sandwich panels are widely utilized in residential, commercial, and industrial settings due to their excellent thermal insulation characteristics, ease of installation, and high strength-to-weight ratio. This review provides an overview on experimental outcomes demonstrating the structural integrity and versatility of wood sandwich panels. It highlights recent advancements in meeting payload requirements and their effectiveness in reducing costs and weights for prefabricated houses. The review focuses on structural applications and material efficiency, showcasing their roles in lightweight, durable constructions for retrofitting and new projects. The potential of novel, sustainable materials in construction is explored, addressing current challenges and emphasizing the diverse applications and environmental benefits of wood-based sandwich panels, underscoring their importance in advancing energy-efficient and sustainable construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Applications of Wood in Architecture and Construction)
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