Grant: Alliance Grants

With the rise in taller wood buildings, calculating how much the walls bend under pressure has become crucial. Current methods from the Canadian Wood Council and CSA 086 standard are good at assessing individual walls but miss the mark when it comes to how walls interact with each other. This gap can lead to big errors in predicting how buildings will actually behave. To address this, the international collaboration with Dr. Ahmed Elansary from the German University in Cairo (GUC) aims to improve these calculations by considering how walls work together. The project will develop two new methods: one that uses advanced modelling techniques and another that simplifies the process for practical use by researchers. These methods will be tested to reflect real-world conditions and allow researchers to get accurate predictions about wall deflections while interacting with each other. The benefits of this project are significant. By addressing the interactions between walls, the research will improve the safety and durability of multistory wood buildings. This also contributes to Canadian building codes, leading to more reliable and cost-effective designs. Globally, as the construction industry moves towards more sustainable materials like wood, these improved methods will support this shift. For Canada, this research will boost the wood industry, contribute to economic growth, and position the country as a leader in sustainable building practices, setting an example for others to follow.