So, in order to get the most realistic representation of the world the designer needs to have a huge amount of sorted and well presented date available. Thus, simply presenting summary graphs and tables of the tests, the current practice, is not enough. Publishing the complete dataset with detailed background information is, in my mind, crucial for advancing the field of timber engineering. This process requires careful processing of the dataset into a usable format for comparison with analytical and computational models, FEM.
This challenge became apparent in 2020 when, under Professor Markku Heinisuo‘s guidance at Tampere University, our research group began developing the shallow steel-timber composite (STC) floor concept, Nordic system. Here the Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels are resting on the bottom flanges of welted box beam (WQ) beams and then connected together by steel plates.
But first we needed that data! So, my doctoral research started by tackling this head-on. Starting in 2021, under Professor Sami Pajunen‘s guidance at Tampere University, we began our planning phase for the full-scale laboratory tests. This led to my dissertation focusing on creating and openly publishing comprehensive test data – a rarity in structural engineering. I believe that sharing this data accelerates progress in the field far beyond simply presenting graphs and tables in one or two articles.
The result? A dedicated data article in Elsevier’s Data in Brief, essentially a peer-reviewed laboratory report, with all data openly available via CERN’s open data service. You can read the article Collected data on bending, vibration, and push-out tests of shallow steel-timber composite beams—Nordic system here and check out the data here.
This detailed dataset allows for a deeper understanding of steel-timber shallow-floor composite structures. I hope this contribution moves the field forward! You can check out my research outline in the graph below.
Big thanks to our product providers Nordec, ArcWood and Rothoblaas and especially for our laboratory staffs for making this possible!
Many thanks also for my co-writers who helped make the article great: Markku Heinisuo, Virpi Leivo, Mikko Malaska, Kristo Mela, Sami Pajunen and Mika Vuorela!
Aku Aspila
The writer is a doctoral researcher at Tampere University and a part of the Graduate School of Industrial Timber Construction.
The blog is also published on CoreLab’s website.
