Systems in Timber Engineering: Loadbearing Structures and Component Layers

The system concept determines the character of timber structures. from DGfH and Lignum. The patient, meticulous team from the Birkhauser publishing house was always on hand throughout the Up until the mid 1990s it was sufficient to be familiar with tra- tional systems such as log construction, timber frame construc- work. I am also grateful to the advisory committee for its c- tion, and stud construction, and to be aware of panel construc- structive criticism and support, Ueli Rhiner for the design of the tion and modern frame construction, which were new at the time. book, and Charles von Buren for his help in all matters related to In the meantime, the situation has changed completely. Structures publishing. And it is only thanks to "holz 21", the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, and funds to promote forest and have become much taller and also larger. New loadbearing s- tems have been introduced. And it is no longer the loadbearing timber research that this book could be produced at all. Further systems alone that are important th e building envelope, too, as a valuable assistance was provided by Lignum (the umbrella orga- sation for the Swiss forestry and timber industries), DGfH (German result of system solutions, has become a self contained functional medium which is coordinated, however, with the loadbearing Society of Wood Research), and a number of supplier companies structure. The same applies to walls and suspended floors. to the timber industry.