Moisture-induced timber joining - Utilizing the hygroscopicity and shape-memory effect of wood resulting in dimensional change in a prefabricated wood-only, self-built, sawn timber system for affordable housing in Colombia

Moisture-induced timber joining - Utilizing the hygroscopicity and shape-memory effect of wood resulting in dimensional change in a prefabricated wood-only, self-built, sawn timber system for affordable housing in Colombia | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Moisture-induced timber joining - Utilizing the hygroscopicity and shape-memory effect of wood resulting in dimensional change in a prefabricated wood-only, self-built, sawn timber system for affordable housing in Colombia Max Salzberger, Juan Sebastian Cruz Rojas, Gilbert Koskamp This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3982318/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 7 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract From a global perspective, the building industry stands as a significant factor of environmental impact on the planet. Wood has emerged as a promising construction material as a sustainable building source, gaining traction in the industry due to its carbon storage capabilities and prefabricated possibilities [13]. Particularly in the context of rural Colombia, the integration of prefabricated timber constructions, coupled with advancements in digital fabrication technologies, holds the promise of facilitating social reconstruction. Furthermore, such an approach poses the potential to enhance material performance and contribute positively to its end of life [ 1 ]. Nevertheless, existing research identifies a critical gap within the wood-to-wood timber connections to tackle better design, manufacture, assembly, and deconstruction (DfMA + D) [20]. Consequently, this study endeavours to explore the application of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technologies in conjunction with the material's response to changes in relative humidity. The aim is to devise a mechanism for tight-fitting structural wood connections, the central focus of this research lies in understanding the collaborative interaction between sawn timber and moisture fluctuations. By doing so, the study seeks to introduce a new construction methodology and building system centred around material climate reaction and its expansion capacity applications in traditional connections, thereby mitigating the need for chemical and mechanical structural joints, ultimately resulting in a self-assembly system destined to low-income populations in the Colombian territory. This study proves the enhancement of timber connection to tensile stress up to 50% of its original capacity by implementing the moisture induced process and developing a building system utilising this joining method for the assembly of elements for housing in Colombia. Wood-to-Wood joints hygroscopicity dimensional change timber DfMA Digital Fabrication Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 07 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 06 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 16 Feb, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 05 Mar, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 29 Feb, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 28 Feb, 2024 First submitted to journal 23 Feb, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3982318","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":275525756,"identity":"68d632c3-09ea-40c3-8706-908eb0878e75","order_by":0,"name":"Max Salzberger","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABCklEQVRIie2QP0vDQBiH3+PguqTt+vohhINCbSDYr3IlkEl0cHEQEYROUVf9Lh1eCTRLqGvBwZZCcIyL3CDiG7TQoZd2FLwH7i+/h99xAB7Pn0QseBqA/jlFPIygC146TkXWYVwrCbICVBgAtaeS7VYOryUIe4nDo9bt6u198nyl85joycKpS+mTBBlMUYZp3g8fyhfURWmIDJy7lS5LCpWeJ6oXECvzE51VBkbjhhZhvzDQr6XqfdKMlbOqbmlUoD1GTiq5AqK6BZqVTELWvkMdpokSKcUHj0WpiRJ0K/mNWNqPiH9sKitLx91OHi8XFEWje4cC/C763SrcuMct2S12tVfM4/F4/h3fBdVdeEB5hYMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Delft University of Technology","correspondingAuthor":true,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Max","middleName":"","lastName":"Salzberger","suffix":""},{"id":275525757,"identity":"3c56ae66-6e3f-4985-bc5a-598487fc9831","order_by":1,"name":"Juan Sebastian Cruz Rojas","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Juan","middleName":"Sebastian Cruz","lastName":"Rojas","suffix":""},{"id":275525758,"identity":"def2b99f-38c7-441b-9f13-e5cfccaeb476","order_by":2,"name":"Gilbert Koskamp","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Delft University of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Gilbert","middleName":"","lastName":"Koskamp","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-02-23 15:23:41","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3982318/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3982318/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":51847926,"identity":"3212e3c0-2fcb-42ef-9c62-8fc16f99db33","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-03-01 07:55:36","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1863965,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"240223MoistureInducedJoining.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3982318/v1_covered_7c4d121a-d6e7-4197-8a82-9297b87a6279.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Moisture-induced timber joining - Utilizing the hygroscopicity and shape-memory effect of wood resulting in dimensional change in a prefabricated wood-only, self-built, sawn timber system for affordable housing in Colombia","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"architecture-structures-and-construction","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Architecture, Structures and Construction](https://www.springer.com/journal/44150)","snPcode":"44150","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44150/3","title":"Architecture, Structures and Construction","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Wood-to-Wood joints, hygroscopicity, dimensional change, timber, DfMA, Digital Fabrication","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3982318/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3982318/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eFrom a global perspective, the building industry stands as a significant factor of environmental impact on the planet. 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