Innovative modular building manufactured using structural black poplar plywood panels

Résumé

This article presents a small prefabricated building with constructive systems notusually utilized in Spain, together with the structural checking needed before itsconstruction. The principal material is the black poplar plywood panel. These wood-derived panels may enhance building sustainability and lighten their weight, showingnew business opportunities because of the possibility of mass production. This alsoallows companies to respond to large orders in shorter periods of time, such as criticalsituations after some recent catastrophes. The construction has to table with the worstenvironmental conditions in Spain, which are defined by the Spanish Building TechnicalCode (CTE). For that reason, the national standard mentioned and otherrecommendations from the American Engineered Wood Association were used indesign and structural checking processes. Another important requirement is that theconstruction has also to be easy to set up by non-qualified workers.Its constructive solution consisted of a bearing wall that supports a roof with twoslopes. A wide inner bearing wall supports the weight of the tile roof.Maximum moments and displacements generated were obtained using the Navier andLevy models based on plate theory. These calculations allowed us to demonstrate thesignificant resistance of the construction proposed.