Poten&alBIMfeedback
processesindesignand
fabrica&onof&mber
components
Amount:$30,746(2015rate)taxfreescholarshipwithpossible6monthextensionplus
projectopera&onalfunds
Loca6on:Hobart,Tasmania
Eligibility:Domes&candInterna&onalstudentswithFirstClassorSecondUppersHonours/
Mastersorequivalent
Submissiondatesforapplica6onsarelistedon
hAp://www.utas.edu.au/arc-forest-value/phd-project-opportuni6es
AbouttheCentre
This research project is part of the ARC Centre for Forest
Value.TheTrainingCentrewillbuildthecapacitytoshi9the
forestry and wood products sector from a tradi&onal,
resource driven, low-technology base to a market-driven,
precision-manufacturing focused industry that applies
modern technologies and business approaches to the value
chain from germplasm to commercial buildings, and from
produc&ontorestora&onplan&ngs.
Learnmoreatwww.utas.edu.au/arc-forest-value
PhDProjectOverview
The PhD topic described below is part of the Centre’s Architecture in +mber design
projectarea.
Standardised fabrica&on processes are o9en based on standard, isotropic materials.
However,manymaterialsincludingall&mberproductsareheterogeneousinnatureand
requirecarefulhandlinginthefabrica&onprocessiftheuseofthematerialinadesign
solu&on is to be op&mised. Current prac&ce imposes a single direc&on of informa&on
flowfromdesigntofabrica&on.Thisimpedesfeedbackandreconsidera&onbetweenthe
design of the over-all solu&on and its realisa&on with heterogeneous materials during
assembly and fabrica&on. This project would inves&gate the poten&al for real-&me
feedback in manufacturing and fabrica&on, and the possibili&es of simula&ng this
feedback in the design process to encourage design solu&ons that recognises the
mechanicalorvisualchangesinheterogeneousmaterials.
ProjectArea
Thisprojectfocusesonthedirectsupplychainintegra&onforbespoke&mberelements
designed and manufactured on a project-by-project basis. This project will use Building
Informa&onModelling(BIM)so9wareandprocedurestoallowtheinterchangeofspecific
structuralrequirementsforindividual&mberelementsalongthesupplychain;establish
the mechanisms for fabricators, producers and foresters to interpret and use BIM
informa&on;andallowefficient,customisable,manufactureofbuildingcomponentsusing
&mber specific informa&on. Ini&al partner research and development has resulted in
direct informa&on flows from design model to digital element fabrica&on/manufacture
for small-scale projects. This process will be extended to larger opera&ons to bridge
coordina&on,discipline,andcontractboundariesandinterfacebetweenforester,building
designer, fabricator, and producer. Poten&al also exists to exploit market demand and
manufactureabroaderrangeofEWPsfromagreaterpropor&onoftheforestresource.
TheARCIndustrialTransforma&onTrainingCentreforForestValueissupportedfromthe
AustralianResearchCouncil’sIndustrialTransforma&onTrainingCentresscheme(project
numberIC150100004).
Tosubmitanexpressionofinterestorforgeneralinforma&on,pleasecontacttheCentre
forForestValueatforest.value@utas.edu.au
For informa&on related to this project please contact Assoc Prof Greg Nolan
Gregory.Nolan@utas.edu.au or Professor Mark Hunt Mark.Hunt@utas.edu.au for more
informa&on.
PartnerOrganisa&ons