PROJECT. COLLABORATION. INNOVATION.
SEED FUND 2024
Structural health monitoring of mass timber for the Irish Climate
This project is focused on exploring the use of mass timber as a building material in Ireland. Ireland does not have a significant culture of building with timber, but timber is a strong, sustainable construction material, and can help reduce the carbon footprint of the build environment. However, we need to understand how well timber buildings perform in Ireland’s climate, which is often characterised as mild and damp due to our temperate oceanic climate.
To provide evidence to support this decarbonisation strategy, it is proposed to monitor a mass timber building by placing sensors inside it to track temperature, humidity, and moisture levels. This will help us understand how the building and the structural timber elements react with the prevailing weather conditions over time. By gathering this data, we can demonstrate that timber buildings are safe, durable, and environmentally friendly.
Additionally, this project will serve as a learning opportunity for the construction industry in Ireland, demonstrating the opportunities to utilise timber in Ireland and will also create a demonstration structure to inform the general public about the benefits of timber construction. Ultimately, we aim to encourage the use of timber in construction, making buildings greener and more sustainable.
Applicant’s name and RPO member:
Collaborators:
G Frame Ltd
Collaborators
Principal Investigators
Dr Conan O’Ceallaigh
Lecturer, Department of Building and Civil Engineering, Atlantic Technological University
Dr Conan O’Ceallaigh is a Principal Investigator, Lecturer and Chartered Engineer in the Department of Building and Civil Engineering at the Atlantic Technological University. Conan obtained his Ph.D. by examining the long-term performance of timber structures while working with the Timber Engineering Research Group (TERG) at the University of Galway and is involved in leading research on National and European-funded projects focused on increasing the use of timber in construction, developing sustainable engineered wood products, quantifying the life cycle impacts and particularly the embodied carbon associated with construction, and decarbonising the built environment by implementing circular principles during the design stage. Conan is also an active member of the Irish mirror committee of CEN/TC 250/SC 5, working on the second generation of Eurocode 5, which will provide more prescriptive rules governing the design of mass-timber elements in multi-story timber construction.
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