COVER STORY
One fine example showcasing engineered wood product capabilities is the Metropol Parasol in Seville, Spain. Image: David Franck
Ultralam, Laminated Veneer Lumber- takes a stand
From industrial warehouses to high rise commercial buildings, engineered wood specialist group Universal Plywoods is now building longer and stronger with engineered wood products like Ultralam LVL.
With the rising costs of steel and concrete as well as the combined carbon footprint of both at astronomical levels, architects and builders are seeking new, sustainable alternatives to the traditional methods from the past.
Wood technology and engineered wood products have advanced. We are now able to build multi-storey commercial high-rise buildings using Laminated Veneer Lumber( LVL). Ultralam LVL is an engineered wood product that is extruded and has physical and mechanical properties surpassing solid timber and Glulam. It is produced in the form of boards and billets, with options of several different types of veneer orientation and grades with a wide range of sizes. Ultralam LVL is certified according to European, Russian, Australian and US quality standards.
METROPOL PARASOL CASE STUDY
One fine example showcasing engineered wood product capabilities is the Metropol Parasol in Seville, Spain.
Metropol Parasol is one of the most visionary urban timber projects in the world and was designed by the award-winning German architectural firm J Mayer H in Berlin. The construction reaches a height of 28m and covers a surface area of around 11 000m. The structure consists of glued cross-ply LVL panels arranged in an orthogonal grid to a spacing of 1.5 x 1.5m. The thickness of the panels ranges from 68mm to 311mm and the largest of about 3 400 wooden parts measures 16.5m high by 3.5m wide and is constructed out of Laminated Veneer Lumber also commonly known as LVL.
WHY USE LVL
Products such as LVL, on top of having original visual aesthetics, can also live up to modern fire codes. In a fire, LVL panels develop a thin char layer, which protects the wood underneath from igniting. As an Engineered Wood Product, LVL is naturally fire resistant and, unlike structural steel, can be designed so that it requires no additional fire protection.
LVL is used in roof trusses, timber framing, structural timber columns, shear walls, internal panelling and interior stairs.
10 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2017 //