Sustainable Timber Systems: Structural Design and Performance Analysis

Dear Colleagues,

As the global construction industry seeks to achieve carbon neutrality, sustainable timber and bamboo systems have emerged as critical solutions for low-carbon built environments. The shift toward modern engineered wood (such as CLT and glulam) and high-performance bamboo composites offers a unique opportunity to combine environmental stewardship with structural excellence. However, realizing the full potential of these bio-based materials requires addressing complex challenges in structural mechanics, long-term durability, and innovative design methodologies.

This Special Issue on "Sustainable Timber Systems: Structural Design and Performance Analysis" aims to collect and disseminate the latest advancements in the engineering of timber, bamboo, and their hybrid systems. We welcome original research and review papers that explore experimental, numerical, and theoretical aspects of bio-based structures. Our goal is to bridge the gap between material-scale innovation (such as biomass modification) and system-scale structural performance, ensuring that the next generation of sustainable buildings is both resilient and efficient.

We invite contributions that describe original works in both science and engineering. This Special Issue will be of particular interest to researchers, engineers, and architects working in timber/bamboo engineering, structural analysis, and sustainable construction.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following potential topics:

• Advanced Timber Systems: Design and analysis of cross-laminated timber (CLT), glulam, and laminated veneer lumber (LVL);
• Engineered Bamboo Structures: Structural performance of bamboo-based composites and modern bamboo construction;
• Hybrid Structural Systems: Steel–timber, wood–bamboo, and bio-based composite hybrid systems;
• Innovative Connections: High-ductility joints, self-centering connections, and novel mechanical fasteners;
• Resilient Design: Seismic resistance, vibration control, and recoverable (self-centering) structural systems;
• Biomass Material Modification: Enhancing the structural performance and durability of timber and bamboo through chemical or physical modification;
• Advanced Numerical Modeling: Multiscale modeling, nonlinear analysis, and structural optimization of timber systems;
• Experimental Testing: Large-scale structural testing and long-term monitoring of bio-based buildings;
• Fire Engineering: Fire-resistance design, charring rate analysis, and post-fire structural integrity;
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Carbon footprint and environmental impact of timber and bamboo structural systems;
• Historical Timber Structures: Structural assessment, degradation mechanisms, and maintenance of ancient wood buildings.

Dr. Xiaoyue Zhang
Dr. Fei Tong
Dr. Sigong Zhang
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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.

• advanced timber systems
• engineered bamboo structures
• hybrid structural systems
• innovative connections
• biomass material modification
• historical timber structures
• resilient design of bio-based buildings