Segmented Spiral using Inter-Connected Timber Elements

This paper ​describes the design, fabrication, and construction process of a scenography structure representing a five-meter height spiral made out of 3-ply crosslaminated panels. The structure includes 29 timber boxes.​ Typical through-tenon wood-wood joints are used in parallel to screws. The structure is attached to the main supporting system through multiple cables. A scanning system was applied to facilitate the further measurements. The paper also presents digital workflow of 3D modeling, Finite Element (FE) simulation, fabrication, assembly, and the experimental tests. ​The principal ​objective of structural calculation was to ​understand ​the load-bearing capacity of the system and the interactions between the timber boxes. The numerical FE model was built in ABAQUS​TM to simulate the structural behavior of the spiral.​ Further details are given about the different steps involved in modelling and fabrication of this structure, such as parametric tools, G-Code tool-path generation for the 5-axis CNC machine, and on site installation. Finally, the loading tests are highlighted to draw possible structural optimization using laser scanning and displacement sensors.