How to build a skyscraper out of wood (Vigte: I was skeptical, but I read through and they seem to have thought it through quite well... I'm impressed.)

submitted by Vigte from theweek.com

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[–]Vigte[S] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

The first thing I did when I read the title was "control+F: fire".

More importantly, the wooden beams created with modern processes are so big and solid that it actually takes enormously high temperatures to set them on fire — below those temperatures, the surface of the beam simply chars, while the beam itself maintains its structural integrity. "Steel is actually less fire resistant in its pure form," Snapp said. "When steel hits a certain temperature it starts melting, the connections break."

Nice.... nice... yes, now that I use my brain for 2 seconds this makes sense...

The substantially low amount of concrete used impressed me greatly too, (concrete is created by turning CaO3 into CaO (I BELIEVE but I just learned that yesterday, so, it's still finding it's place in my brain-harddrive), producing CO2 as a by product (this I am sure of), it is one of the most directly harmful processes we use),

Obviously, there are aspects of construction that will emit CO2 no matter what material you use. But steel and concrete also have carbon emissions intrinsic to that material: Sixty percent of concrete's emissions, for instance, come from the chemical reaction to make the concrete. Replacing a lot of steel and concrete construction with wood could save us a lot of CO2 output.

[–]JasonCarswell 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

If I recall correctly...

When they sealed up the folks in the Biosphere 2 they had a problem. Unaccounted for CO2. Turns out it was leaching from the concrete. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere_2

"Architecture" is on my long list of subs to add. I was saving all my Earthships, alt-homes, TinyHomes, tensegrity, tensile structures, and hyperbolic paraboloid structures till then.

My most important project is a story with a huge tower of sorts, very complicated for reasons.

[–]Tom_Bombadil 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

More importantly, the wooden beams created with modern processes are so big and solid that it actually takes enormously high temperatures to set them on fire — below those temperatures, the surface of the beam simply chars, while the beam itself maintains its structural integrity.

So, it's not really wood. It's a composite. It's a wood in a polymer it's epoxy resin. The resin is what chars.
How do the fasteners resist burning/charring? Same materials? What do they use for the elevator? Hemp? ;-)

"Steel is actually less fire resistant in its pure form," Snapp said. "When steel hits a certain temperature it starts melting, the connections break.".

Are there comparing this composite to early 20th century steel construction that want fireproofed? Also, steel conducts heat, and steel frame any like heat-sinks.

This is a cool idea, but it's still only theoretical. Would anytime buy a wooden car, or a wooden bicycle.

[–]Vigte[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I would assume the set up could be made without fasteners - it could be laid atop and pieced together with joints - sort of like Japanese carpentry perhaps (but more american-industrialized, less fancy I presume).

Realistically, even if it were only LIGHTLY treated on the outside after manufacture and was entirely "condensed wood" - think about a firepit out camping.

By the time the wood actually starts to fall apart (especially if it's uniform, huge and smooth, which will take FOREVER to light), everyone can be out...

[–]Tom_Bombadil 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Little pig.. little pig... Let me in!