Saturday, April 16, 2016

Wooden skyscraper

London may get a wooden skyscraper.
The obvious worry for most people is, of course, fire. However, timber buildings are famously good at standing up to flames – columns and beams will char in an inferno, and that charred surface can actually stand up longer to heat than exposed steel. While steel heats up and buckles, wood first loses its water weight, then chars and resists the flames.

Umm.. When I look at the picture, I see a wooden chimney.

2 comments:

Christopher B said...

I wonder if they are going to use solid wood or engineered timbers. You might be able to work fire-retarding chemicals into the mix.

james said...

When it referenced experience with fire-resistant properties, the article seemed to refer to classic wood timbers. I'd guess the micro-structure matters a lot--think of the difference in weather resistance between slices of wood and wood shakes.