Holz Lehm Verbund

This research is dedicated to investigating hybrid timber-clay components using digital design and fabrication methods. The primary focus is on exploring the potential of this material system for load-bearing, horizontally-spanned structures. The combination of timber and clay complements in terms of load-bearing capacity, sound insulation, fire protection, and thermal mass, thereby enabling the production of components with enhanced properties while reducing the use of timber.

In contrast to established hybrid composite materials like reinforced concrete or timber-concrete composites, which hinder resource-efficient reusability due to their irreversible material bonding, this research aims to promote a circular approach to material utilization. This entails investigating methods of integrating timber and clay in a manner that enables easy disassembly, promotes reusability, and facilitates recycling, thereby supporting a closed-loop materials lifecycle.

The main objective of this research is to optimize the interface between timber and clay to achieve an enhanced shear connection. This goal is pursued through geometric integration, such as the incorporation of additional wooden elements like shear keys, or by employing spatially varied arrangements of timber components. Additionally, a further investigation at the microscopic level focuses on analyzing the composition of the clay mixture and the integration of short fiber reinforcement.