The GrooveLam project convenes experts from industry and academia to design and verify a methodology for utilizating non-standardized wood resources in structural and high-performance engineered timber building elements. The research is in developing low environmental impact, non-toxic and reversible methods of aggregating small-dimension reclaimed components into larger-dimension structural elements capable of spanning longer distances. To do so, GrooveLam utilizes unproblematic and reversible solutions by employing an enhanced longitudinal shear interface and monomaterial fasteners (e.g. dowels and straps), which additionally open up circular end-of-use strategies leading to whole-life carbon-neutrality. GrooveLam anticipates a final circular product suite (beams /columns/ panels) that can be customized for specific load/use-cases through optimized stock assembly and production parameters, overcoming current linear industry limitations.

  RAW worked as a researcher on this project, fabricating the testing interfaces and samples, and documenting the testing outcomes through photography, video, drawing, and text. Our early testing began with small shear-interface testing. Testing and analysis of over 60 52” beam samples have been completed and the work is a published article in Nature.