Framework for robustness assessment of timber structures

This paper presents a theoretical framework for the design and analysis of robustness of timber structures. This is actualized by a more frequent use of advanced types of timber structures with limited redundancy and serious consequences in the case of failure. Combined with increased requirements to efficiency in design and execution followed by increased risk of human errors has made the need of requirements to robustness of new structures essential. Further, the collapse of the Ballerup Super Arena, the Bad Reichenhall Ice-Arena and a number of other structural systems during the last 10 years has increased the interest in robustness. Typically modern structural design codes require that ‘the consequence of damages to structures should not be disproportional to the causes of the damages’. However, although the importance of robustness for structural design is widely recognized the code requirements are not specified in detail, which makes the practical use difficult. This paper describes a theoretical and risk based framework to form the basis for quantification of robustness and for pre-normative guidelines.