UC student named young engineer of the year for timber structure research

University of Canterbury PhD student Michael Newcombe (photo attached) has become the first university student ever to be named Young Engineer of the Year at the New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards, in recognition of his work on the development of an innovative timber construction technique.

After completing his first degree at the University of Canterbury, Michael did a Masters in earthquake engineering at the University of Pavia in Italy. He has continued to build on the research he undertook in Italy and is working towards a PhD on the design of reinforced wood structures, using laminated veneer lumber held together by high-strength steel.

His research focuses on the use of timber as a structural material in multi-storey buildings and specialises on earthquake performance. He is part of a large research consortium called the Structural Timber Innovation Company (STIC) which is working to increase the use of wood in the construction industry.

Michael's research is based on an innovative UC timber construction technique enabling buildings to be assembled on site from prefabricated elements. In order to create strength, steel tendons are run through the centre of the timber beam and tensioned.

"They act like rubber bands connecting the entire structure," he says.

"STIC has been able to dispel a number of myths or mistruths about using timber in multi-storey buildings - such as fire safety, earthquake resistance and durability.

"Recently there has been renewed interest in multi-storey timber buildings within the New Zealand government sector that is having a flow-on effect to the private sector and international markets," Michael says.

Aside from the sustainability elements, the work by the STIC has the potential to establish a new industry and add value to the forestry industry. A major element of Michael's PhD work has been the construction of a two-storey experimental building within UC's College of Engineering.

The experimental structure has performed extremely well in earthquake simulations, remaining undamaged after being subjected to the equivalent of a magnitude seven earthquake. This has been attributed to the inherent flexibility of timber.

The research work is now moving into the commercialisation stage, with a three-storey building using the new construction technology due to be built in Nelson.

The New Zealand Engineering Excellence Awards are the premier awards for New Zealand's engineering profession. The young engineer award is given to someone who is judged to have made the most excellent contribution as an engineer, as a leader and/or through community involvement. Those eligible for the award this year had to have completed the final year of their first engineering qualification in 1999 or later, and have been no older than 33 on 1 January 2009.