Progetto SOFIE

SOFIE – Construction System Fiemme – is a research project on sustainable buildings carried out by the IVALSA Institute of the National Research Council with the support of Provincia Autonoma di Trento. SOFIE has the scope to define the performance and the potential of a construction system for multi-storey buildings whose load-bearing elements are massive wooden panels made of certified timber from the Trentino region. The construction system is characterised by low energy demand, high levels of fire safety and sound absorption, high earthquake resistance and durability: the X-LAM system (massive wooden panels with cross-wise glued layers of planks). The system was developed in Germany less than ten years ago and uses panels with a thickness varying from 5 to 30 cm. The panels are made of cross-wise glued layers of boards with an average thickness of 2 cm. Openings for windows, doors and staircases are pre-cut through innovative CNC (Computer Numerical Control) – machineries. Buildings are assembled on site and the panels are connected by means of metal angles, ringed annular shanked nails and self-drilling screws. The timber necessary to produce the panels is entirely from the forests in the valleys in the province of Trento.

«To support the research project SOFIE means to act according to the principles of sustainability or - in other words - intrinsically tie healthcare and well-being of mankind to a policy of proper custody of territory and environment»
Gianluca Salvatori, Minister for Planning, Research and Innovation of the Autonomous Province of Trento

News

THE NEW FRONTIERS OF WOOD

20/06/2010

World Conference on Timber Engineering – WCTE 2010
Riva del Garda, Italy, 20-24 June

Over 600 researchers and engineers from all over the world assemble at the Garda lake in Northern Italy to inaugurate this year’s 11th World Conference on Timber Engineering whose host is the Trees and Timber Institute of the Italian National Research Council (CNR-IVALSA). After ten successful conventions with the most recent in Finland (2004), United States (2006) and Japan (2008), also the WCTE 2010 provides a forum for the exchange of the latest technological advances, research results and design innovations in the field of timber engineering. Indeed, the most renowned international experts will use this platform to discuss new research ideas and exchange knowledge.
The WCTE 2010 offers technical presentations, exhibition space for manufacturers and excellent networking opportunities for the timber engineering community. This year, for the first time, technical sessions on sustainability are organised. “Sustainability is an important argument which is very dear to most of the timber engineers”, explains Ario Ceccotti, director of the CNR-IVALSA and chairman of the WCTE 2010, “because promoting wood as a building material is a strong motivation for a research which respects and protects the nature around us”.
The participants are coming from countries with a rich history in timber constructions and research such as Canada, United States, New Zealand and Australia and, with most of the attendees, Japan. “This is yet another sign of the research collaboration and friendship with Japan that has been developed during the last years”, continues Ceccotti, “whose last example has been the research project SOFIE with a full-scale seismic test of a seven-storey timber building”.
Also researchers from other Asian countries, South America and Africa are participating. And of course, nearly all European countries, especially Germany, Austria and Scandinavia are represented as well.
The 12th WCTE 2012 will be held in Auckland, New Zealand whereas the host for the 2014 edition will be chosen here, in Riva del Garda.
The program and other information about the conference are available under www.wcte2010.org
Contact
Maria Giovanna Franch - technical_s@wcte2010.org – T +390461660220 - M +393498049498

SEISMIC TEST ON A 7 STOREY SOFIE BUILDING

23/11/2007

Miki, Japan, octobe 23, 2007.

See the images