Timber Roof Laminar Covers In Uruguay, Designed And Manufactured By Cad-Cae-Cam Processes

Abstract

The use of wood in building construction is growing in Uruguay. That is why the design of innovative building materials and components, and the incorporation of new technologies in the productive processes that add value to the national raw material, is a priority. In the last decades, our country has made a great investment increasing forested areas and updating the technology applied to this industry sector. In consequence, there is a suitable timber production to be used in building construction. One of the Forestry Sector Plan goals established by the Industry, Energy and Mining Ministry of Uruguay (MIEM) for the timber sector, is the promotion of the use of wood in the local market. This is because wood products incorporated to the building industry promote nvestments in the production chain, adding value to materials and increasing the technological development. The main objective of this research is defining a parametric modeling and computer-aided manufacturing procedure (CAD-CAE-CAM) of laminar structures with complex forms, based on wood products, adapted to the technology and the conditions of our environment for being used in educational buildings. For this purpose, form-finding experiments with origami techniques are carried out in order to select those more suitable for laminar structures. Then, these forms are adjusted by applying optimization factors, considering the interrelation with different building aspects. The relevance of the proposed models is corroborated with institutional productive actors, linked to the construction of educational buildings. The detailed design of some selected laminar roofs that have been considered appropriate to be included in educational buildings is done. Applying the developed procedure, at least 5 small-scale prototypes and 5 full-scale modules of this kind of roof covers are manufactured. These prototypes are tested in order to determine their mechanical properties. The structural performance of these solutions is determined from theoretical calculations, and correlation analysis between calculations and the results obtained from mechanical resistance tests. In this way, we intend to verify the relevance of the laminar structures constructed with timber panels, designed and manufactured from CAD-CAE-CAM processes, as a solution to be incorporated to the construction of educational buildings in Uruguay. The development of a CAD-CAE-CAM methodology for the manufacture of laminar roof covers of timber products, will allow our University to offer a new productive service to the market, as well as to promote the use of national materials with incorporated engineering.