Building Climate - long-term measurements to determine the effect on the moisture gradient in large-span timber structures

The evaluation of damages in large-span timber structures indicates that the predominantly observed damage pattern is pronounced cracking in the lamellas of glued-laminated timber elements. A significant proportion of these cracks is attributed to the seasonal and use-related variations of the internal climate within large buildings and the associated inhomogeneous shrinkage and swelling processes in the timber elements. To evaluate that matter, long-term measurements of climate data and timber moisture content were generated in large-span timber structures in buildings of typical construction type and use to draw conclusions on the size and speed of adjustment of the moisture distribution to changing climatic conditions. A comparison of the results of the individual types of building use confirms the expected large range of possible climatic conditions in buildings with timber structures. They allow for a more precise indication of range of resulting equilibrium moisture content for the specific use, enabling the installation of timber elements with adjusted moisture content. They also support the development of suitable monitoring systems which could be applied in form of early warning systems on the basis of climate measurements. Proposals for the practical implementation of the results are given.