Experimental evaluation of a modular timber unit filled with insulated corkboard

Abstract

Due to fast delivery and convenience on site, prefabricated modular structures are increasingly present in the context of civil construction. Regarding the advantages of these systems, it has been addressed in the literature the potential of wood for the design of prefabricated houses with modular characteristics, resulting in optimization of costs, product quality and sustainability. When a new construction system is proposed, it is of extremely importance to understand its mechanical behavior and structural performance before its implementation. Therefore, this research aims to contribute, based on an experimental campaign, to the characterization of a new modular wall construction system made of Cryptomeria wood (Cryptomeria japonica). The experimental campaign comprehended the evaluation of the glued connection between wood elements of the unit and the load carrying capacity of a single and connected modular units. Besides, since the proposed system is constituted of an interior layer of insulated corkboard, the effect of its presence in mechanical terms was evaluated. The results showed the potential of this prefabricated modular systems in terms of resistance and identified the critical parameters to a safety design.