HYBRID BEAM

Integrating part of a prototype of a hybrid gantry structure, the hybrid beam is a prototype of a 6-metre-long beam that looks at using wood, ceramics, concrete and steel together. The beam is built from a wooden core to which 30 ceramic components are fixed with acrylic glue and galvanised steel screws. After assembling all the components, the ceramic pieces are concreted inside, joining wood, ceramic and concrete into a single element. Afterwards, a steel cable is passed through a longitudinal duct at the lower edge of the wooden core, which serves as a post-tensioning element and provides the connection to the connection node between columns and beams.

The connection between columns and beams is achieved by manufacturing a cylindrical wooden component with two levels. The lower level, with a smaller diameter, is the connecting element to the column, while the upper element, where two cavities are located, is the element that receives two beams. The connection of all the elements is made inside an upper cylindrical hole where the steel cables that serve as post-tensioning element for both beams and columns are connected. In addition, metal plates are placed to fix the beams.

RESEARCH TEAM

Paulo J. S. Cruz, Bruno Figueiredo (coordination); João Carvalho (design and development).