A systematic framework for long-span timber structures

Modularisation is a key concept in the manufacturing industry and has helped lead the way towards widespread industrialisation. In Sweden, timber has had limited use as a construction material for many years. This is particularly evident for long-span single storey structures used for nondomestic purposes. System Engineering (SE) and modularity principles using the Design Structure Matrix (DSM) and neural networks theory are used to describe a systematic and theoretical framework for construction. The study and analysis are based on a case study at a Swedish design company, together with a survey of 60 long-span timber structures. The potential of DSM to systematise long-span timber structures has been shown in this paper. It is also evident from the analysis of one structural sub-system that industrialisation for the construction industry should be linked with modularisation, incorporating both prefabricated and standardised products.