Recent failures in glulam structures and their causes

• A number of failures have recently occurred in glulam structures in the Scandinavian countries. This paper analyses and discusses two of these failures: Two recently built glulam roof structures with spans of about 75 and 55 m that failed under low loading conditions. Gross error in the design was found to be the main cause in one case, but other potential failure causes were identified and analysed. The other structure failed mainly do to poor manufactured connections. By sheer luck, nobody was killed nor injured. Problems in the building process are discussed. In particular changes in the building organization, stronger clients and more time to planning and design are believed to improve poor quality.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Husbyggnad (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Building Technologies (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Maskinteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Mechanical Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

glulam structures

failures

error identification

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)