Robustness is the capacity of a structure to maintain overall stability and avoid progressive collapse, even if key structural components fail (e.g., a column inside a building, on an edge, or along the perimeter). It ensures the building can withstand localized failures without compromising its integrity.
Why is it important?
In multistorey large-scale timber buildings, robustness is critical but often overlooked due to limited guidelines in building codes like Eurocode 5. Addressing robustness is essential for safety, especially in ambitious timber projects, where unpredictable forces like wind or earthquakes can impact performance.
How is it done?
Ensuring robustness involves FEM analysis to predict structural behavior, alternate load path design to handle potential failures, and custom connection solutions tailored to each project. This approach accounts for various failure scenarios, ensuring the structure can redistribute forces safely.
Ergodomus and Robustness
With over 17 years of experience, Ergodomus has mastered the art of designing robust timber buildings. Our expertise in advanced modeling and connection design ensures that even multistorey timber structures meet the highest standards of safety and resilience.