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Timber (2024)
Book Chapter
Cramer, M., & Tamagnone, G. (2024). Timber. In H. Hartman, & J. Jack Williams (Eds.), Materials: An environmental primer (230-253). RIBA

The Challenge of Strength Grading UK Hardwoods (2023)
Journal Article
Cramer, M. (in press). The Challenge of Strength Grading UK Hardwoods. Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov. Series II: Forestry, Wood Industry, Agricultural Food Engineering, 16(65)(3), 39-52. https://doi.org/10.31926/but.fwiafe.2023.16.65.3.3

Recent research in Europe is bringing a wider range of wood species to the construction market as structural timber and glue laminated products. This option would also open markets for currently underused UK species, foremost hardwoods, but testing e... Read More about The Challenge of Strength Grading UK Hardwoods.

Models to predict the radial variation of stiffness, strength, and density in planted noble fir, Norway spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar in Great Britain (2023)
Journal Article
Gil-Moreno, D., MClean, J. P., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2023). Models to predict the radial variation of stiffness, strength, and density in planted noble fir, Norway spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar in Great Britain. Annals of Forest Science, 80, Article 48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13595-023-01214-7

Key message: This study compares the measured radial variation in wood stiffness, strength, and density of noble fir, Norway spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar by developing mixed-effects models for each property using age as the explanat... Read More about Models to predict the radial variation of stiffness, strength, and density in planted noble fir, Norway spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar in Great Britain.

Strength grading options for unusual resources (2023)
Presentation / Conference
Cramer, M., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2023, October). Strength grading options for unusual resources. Paper presented at WSE: 19th Annual Meeting of the Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering, Oslo, Norway

Considerations for grading species combinations. The example of Douglas fir with larch in Ireland and UK (2023)
Conference Proceeding
Gil-Moreno, D., Ridley-Ellis, D., & Harte, A. M. (2023). Considerations for grading species combinations. The example of Douglas fir with larch in Ireland and UK. In A. Q. Nyrud, K. A. Malo, & K. Nore (Eds.), Proceedings from the 13th World Conference on Timber Engineering (2023) (773-779). https://doi.org/10.52202/069179-0106

This paper examines the grading of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and larch (Larix spp.) as a strength grading species combination for the growth area formed by Ireland and the UK. The two genera produce higher timber quality than Sitka spruce (... Read More about Considerations for grading species combinations. The example of Douglas fir with larch in Ireland and UK.

Non-parametric lower confidence bounds for the fifth percentile - EN 14358 in comparison to a fully non-parametric approach (2023)
Conference Proceeding
Weidenhiller, A., Ridley-Ellis, D., & Neumüller, A. (2023). Non-parametric lower confidence bounds for the fifth percentile - EN 14358 in comparison to a fully non-parametric approach. In A. Q. Nyrud, K. A. Malo, & K. Nore (Eds.), Proceedings from the 13th World Conference on Timber Engineering (2023) (735-739). https://doi.org/10.52202/069179-0101

In Europe, fifth percentile values are required for the calculation of characteristic values of strength and density. The European standard EN 14358:2016 defined three ways to calculate a 75% lower confidence bound (LCB) for such fifth percentile val... Read More about Non-parametric lower confidence bounds for the fifth percentile - EN 14358 in comparison to a fully non-parametric approach.

Considerations for grading species combinations. General remarks on scenarios and requirements (2023)
Conference Proceeding
Ridley-Ellis, D., Gil-Moreno, D., & Harte, A. M. (2023). Considerations for grading species combinations. General remarks on scenarios and requirements. In A. Q. Nyrud, K. A. Malo, & K. Nore (Eds.), Proceedings from the 13th World Conference on Timber Engineering (2023) (780-786). https://doi.org/10.52202/069179-0107

This paper discusses the situations in which timber species might be combined in commercial combinations, and the considerations relating to strength grading work. It is expected that more species combinations will be developed in the years to come,... Read More about Considerations for grading species combinations. General remarks on scenarios and requirements.

How timber buildings can be designed for deconstruction and reuse in accordance with ISO 20887 (2023)
Conference Proceeding
Sandin, Y., Cramer, M., & Sandberg, K. (2023). How timber buildings can be designed for deconstruction and reuse in accordance with ISO 20887. In World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE 2023) (3558-3567). https://doi.org/10.52202/069179-0463

There is a need for a shift towards circular economy in the building and construction sector. Design for deconstruction and reuse (DfDR) and design for adaptability (DfA) have been suggested as means to facilitate reuse of buildings and diminish wast... Read More about How timber buildings can be designed for deconstruction and reuse in accordance with ISO 20887.

Timber in Construction: Skills Action Plan (2023)
Report
Duncheva, M., Vokes, C., Connell-Skinner, K., & Hairstans, R. (2023). Timber in Construction: Skills Action Plan. Hereford: New Model Institute for Technology & Engineering (NMITE)

The UK needs to increase the use of timber in construction to achieve its Net Zero targets. But strengthening timber supply chains and boosting use of homegrown timber needs a workforce able to make best use of this renewable resource. The Timber... Read More about Timber in Construction: Skills Action Plan.

Wood properties & strength grading (2022)
Presentation / Conference
Ridley-Ellis, D. (2022, December). Wood properties & strength grading. Presented at James Jones & Sons Architects' and Structural Engineers' Open Day, Lockerbie

James Jones & Sons held an open day for architects and structural engineers at its flagship sawmill site in Lockerbie. "James Jones & Sons' new visitor building at its flagship sawmill site in Lockerbie has attracted considerable interest in the... Read More about Wood properties & strength grading.

A little about the verification of a lot (EN 14358) (2022)
Presentation / Conference
Ridley-Ellis, D. (2022, September). A little about the verification of a lot (EN 14358). Paper presented at Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering (WSE) 2022, Goettingen, Germany

Sometimes it is necessary to estimate the mean and/or percentile of a certain population by limited sampling, in order to compare with target values. Done properly, the method should account for random chance in the sampling so that the two risks can... Read More about A little about the verification of a lot (EN 14358).

Can you guess the strength of timber? How (your) wood quality perceptions relate to reality (2022)
Presentation / Conference
Cramer, M., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2022, September). Can you guess the strength of timber? How (your) wood quality perceptions relate to reality. Paper presented at Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering (WSE) 2022, Goettingen, Germany

UK-grown timber is often perceived to have “low quality”, and most of the UK’s sawn timber is used for fencing and packaging material. Much of the resource could be used as construction timber, as UK spruce and other softwoods can be strength graded... Read More about Can you guess the strength of timber? How (your) wood quality perceptions relate to reality.

The assessment of the mechanical and physical properties of in situ timber (2022)
Presentation / Conference
Bather, M., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2022, September). The assessment of the mechanical and physical properties of in situ timber. Paper presented at Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering (WSE) 2022, Goettingen, Germany

The refurbishment of existing buildings is a more sustainable option than demolition and reconstruction, leading to significant reductions in CO2 emissions and many other benefits. Policy across Europe is leaning more towards retaining and upgrading... Read More about The assessment of the mechanical and physical properties of in situ timber.

Structural Material Demand and Associated Embodied Carbon Emissions of the United States Building Stock: 2020-2100 (2022)
Journal Article
Arehart, J., Pomponi, F., D'Amico, B., & Srubar, W. (2022). Structural Material Demand and Associated Embodied Carbon Emissions of the United States Building Stock: 2020-2100. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 186, Article 106583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106583

This study uses material flow analysis to estimate the material stocks and flows and associated upfront embodied carbon emissions for gravity building structural systems in the United States. Seven scenarios that align with the shared-socioeconomic p... Read More about Structural Material Demand and Associated Embodied Carbon Emissions of the United States Building Stock: 2020-2100.

Design of Timber Buildings for Deconstruction and Reuse — Three methods and five case studies (2022)
Report
Sandin, Y., Shotton, E., Cramer, M., Sandberg, K., Walsh, S. J., González-Alegre, V., …Zabala Mejia, A. (2022). Design of Timber Buildings for Deconstruction and Reuse — Three methods and five case studies. ForestValue

There is a need for a shift towards circular economy in the construction sector and design philosophies as Design for Deconstruction and Reuse (DfDR) and Design for Adaptability (DfA) are being developed as means to design out waste and enhance resou... Read More about Design of Timber Buildings for Deconstruction and Reuse — Three methods and five case studies.

Wood Information Sheet WIS 2/3-67 Specifying British-grown timbers (2022)
Other
Ridley-Ellis, D. (2022). Wood Information Sheet WIS 2/3-67 Specifying British-grown timbers. [pdf]

The purpose of this Wood Information Sheet (WIS) is to summarise the characteristics, and the current and potential uses, of timber grown in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), which we also refer to in this WIS as ‘British-grown... Read More about Wood Information Sheet WIS 2/3-67 Specifying British-grown timbers.

The relationship between bending and tension strength of Irish and UK spruce and pine (2022)
Journal Article
Gil-Moreno, D., Ridley-Ellis, D., O'Ceallaigh, C., & Harte, A. M. (2022). The relationship between bending and tension strength of Irish and UK spruce and pine. European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 80, 585-596. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-022-01787-6

The correct characterisation of wood properties is fundamental for the best utilisation of resources. In Europe, grading is defined by strength classes that are determined based on either bending or tension tests. The European standards give equation... Read More about The relationship between bending and tension strength of Irish and UK spruce and pine.

More than the sum of their parts - How UK Timber Houses can be Deconstructed and Reused (2021)
Conference Proceeding
Cramer, M., & Sandin, Y. (2021). More than the sum of their parts - How UK Timber Houses can be Deconstructed and Reused. In Proceedings of the 17th meeting of the Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering (WSE 2021) (108-110). https://doi.org/10.5755/e01.9786090217627

The InFutUReWood project (infuturewood.info) focuses on the reuse of structural timber and is working on improving the design of buildings to facilitate deconstruction and reuse. For this purpose, we conducted five case studies in four of the partner... Read More about More than the sum of their parts - How UK Timber Houses can be Deconstructed and Reused.