University of Canterbury PhD student in Structural Engineering Giada Formichetti recently took the opportunity for community #outreach today earlier this month at the University, talking about #lowdamage #posttensioned #timber buildings to the people of Ōtautahi/Christchurch as part of the #openCHCH two-days event.

This is what she presented on the day: Combining sustainability and outstanding seismic performance, the low-damage post-tensioned engineered timber structural system, also known as Pres-Lam (Prestressed Laminated timber), represents a step towards a more resilient community. Characterized by the peculiar rocking-dissipative mechanism at the interface between the dry-jointed structural members, this technology allows for the absence of residual displacements after the earthquake, i.e., damages, providing also the proper energy dissipation thanks to the use of internal unbonded post-tensioning steel cables and mild-steel external dissipators.  

Concluded in 2019, the Beatrice Tinsley building at the University of Canterbury is the tallest all timber Pres-Lam building in the world to date, erected right where the concept of this system was first tried and tested.  

Click here to view a short video about the project.

To learn more about the commercial applications of this work, visit the Pres-Lam website.