Digital Blockhouse Fabrication

Master Thesis - Digital Blockhouse Fabrication (Lukas Kirschnik)

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submitted by
Lukas Kirschnick

Co-Authors
Lukas Kirschnick

Mentors
Vertr.-Prof. Dr. Sven Schneider, Prof. Dr. Jan Willmann, Dr.-Ing. Stephan Schütz

Faculty:
Architecture and Urbanism

Degree programme:
Architecture (Master of Science (M.Sc.))

Type of project presentation
Final project

Semester
Summer semester 2020

Today's timber construction utilizes the possibilities of computer-aided manufacturing in

order to implement complex designs using standardized wood materials. The approach

pursued here aims to use tree trunks in their raw form. This has been practised in traditional

log house construction for thousands of years. The logs are debarked and stacked

to form a solid wall. However, this resource-saving approach requires great craftsmanship.

In order to modernize log house construction and to exploit the possibilities of computer-

aided production and digital planning, an alternative process chain was tested. The

felled tree trunks were scanned in 3-D and then digitally processed. With the help of a

specially developed script, the logs were automatically stacked and cut together. The

resulting 3-D data was then used to generate the machine code for processing the logs

by CNC milling. The resulting wall consists of perfectly interlocking logs with minimal

machining.

Compared to the logs cut in the sawmill, this could result in approximately 15-20 percent

less waste. The automated processing also allows the use of irregularly shaped logs,

dead wood and strongly tapered logs - an opportunity for more sustainability.