Technology
TS3 is high performance timber construction
The result of 10 years of research leads to a breakthrough
in timber construction.
TS3 is the solution for large-scale
timber construction and column spacing of up to eight by eight meters. With this, large buildings and extraordinary architecture made of timber are possible.
Joining panels at the edges
The key technology of TS3 is the TS3 connection by edge joint grouting at a distance, without pressing and without any other connecting means. This allows panels of any size to be produced. After ten years of research more than 2,000 tensile and bending tests, the technology is ready.
Quality assurance processes
TS3 has developed a system for quality assurance. It ensures that the load-bearing safety and serviceability of TS3 connections is guaranteed and traceable at all times.
New column head for large spans
To transfer the large floor slab loads to the columns, TS3 has developed a specially layered column head element. In tests, the technology has achieved failure loads of 1,100 to 3,100 kN (110 to 310 tons), depending on the slab thickness and structure.
Planning with FEM software
TS3 structures are best planned with FEM software. Currently the company Timbatec is your contact. In the future, other engineering companies will also offer these services. We train interested companies and persons by means of e-learning.
Joining panels at the edges
The key technology of TS3 is the TS3 connection by edge joint grouting at a distance, without pressing and without any other connecting means. This allows panels of any size to be produced. After ten years of research more than 2,000 tensile and bending tests, the technology is ready.
Quality assurance processes
TS3 has developed a system for quality assurance. It ensures that the load-bearing safety and serviceability of TS3 connections is guaranteed and traceable at all times.
New column head for large spans
To transfer the large floor slab loads to the columns, TS3 has developed a specially layered column head element. In tests, the technology has achieved failure loads of 1,100 to 3,100 kN (110 to 310 tons), depending on the slab thickness and structure.
Planning with FEM software
TS3 structures are best planned with FEM software. Currently the company Timbatec is your contact. In the future, other engineering companies will also offer these services. We train interested companies and persons by means of e-learning.
Advantages
TS3 can do everything concrete can do.
And much more.
High and large buildings made of wood
The large column grid makes TS3 a genuine alternative to concrete - for residential developments, industry, hospitals, schools and administrative buildings.
Flexibility of use
Structural changes are easier to implement than with concrete buildings or conventional timber structures. Your building thus remains highly flexible over its entire life time.
Climate-friendly and local
Wood stores CO₂ and TS3 is also many times more environmentally friendly than concrete in production. The raw material grows in the region, and transport distances are short.
Building speed
Timber buildings do not require a drying-out period, as is common with concrete buildings. The projects are thus ready for occupancy much more quickly and yield a faster return than projects in conventional construction methods.
8 x 8 meter column grid
Until now, timber construction has been single-axis load-bearing and dependent on beams. With TS3, floor slabs distribute loads in two directions and span columns in a grid of8x8meters.
Lightweight and space saving construction
TS3 floor slabs are space-saving in thickness - a planning advantage. In addition, TS3 is lightweight, making it perfect for additions.
High quality of living
Wood has unique properties for a pleasant indoor climate: it breathes, feels warm and creates comfortable spaces for various uses.
Freeforms
Anyone looking for design freedom is on the right track with TS3. It opens up completely new architectural possibilities.
Process
Easy process for large projects
TS3 does not challenge you, on the contrary: it makes design, planning, transport and processing easy.
Partner
Research and development since 2010
We are excited about the cooperation with our partners who have conquered the new dimension in timber construction with us.
The TS3 technology is the result of several CTI and Innosuisse research projects as well as more than 30 bachelor, master and doctoral theses. We thank all project partners.
ETHZ Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
The TS3 column head element was developed and the behavior of the floor slabs analyzed at the Institute of Structural Analysis and Design (IKB) under the direction of Prof. Dr. Andrea Frangi. Marcel Muster obtained his doctorate at ETH Zurich and is now Technology Manager at TS3.
BFH AHB Bern University of Applied Sciences, Department of Architecture, Wood and Construction, Biel
The edge joint bonding was developed at the Bern University of Applied Sciences under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Steffen Franke. Furthermore, the column head as a cross-laminated timber element and the direct load transfer from column to column through the floor slabs were further developed.
Henkel Loctite
Henkel developed the formulations of TS3 pretreatment and TS3 casting resin. These products are now manufactured under a private label agreement for the application of TS3 technology.
Timbatec Holzbauingenieure
Timbatec is one of the leading timber engineering companies in Switzerland. Stefan Zöllig, the founder of Timbatec and is the inventor of TS3 technology and has initiated the various research projects.
Schilliger Holz AG
Schilliger Holz was part of all research projects and provided the cross laminated timber in each case. The company was the first official TS3 licensee.
TS3 sets new standards in timber construction:
Large column grids and flexible floor slabs for large urban buildings with a future.
For
Clients & Architects
- climate friendly buildings
- short installing time
- low operating costs
- planning like concrete construction
- high quality of living
For
Timber Structural Engineers & Civil Engineers
- Higher construction speed
- More sustainable production
- More flexible implementation
- 8 x 8 meter column grid
Generations
The 3rd generation in timber construction technology
Timber Structures 1.0- the origin of timber construction
Felling trees, removing branches, debarking them, sawing them into beams if necessary, and erecting buildings. That was the first generation of timber construction.
Timber Structures 2.0 - the familiar technology
Since the 20th century, trees have been sawn into boards, dried, planed and glued into glulam. This allows beams to be created that are longer than trees are tall. Beams transfer the loads to the supports.
Timber Structures 3.0 - Timber becomes better than concrete
The TS3 technology connects timber components on the edge. This makes it possible to produce panels of any size. Beams are no longer necessary thanks to high-tech column heads. Timber construction is thus conquering the spheres of conventional concrete construction.
Research
We continue to research
TS3 emerged as a startup from the Timbagroup. There is still a lot of potential in timber construction. This is why we continue to research and found further startups when promising ideas arise. Our current projects in the Timbagroup:
To make the TS3 technology even lighter, the ETH and the Bern University of Applied Sciences are developing a biaxial load-bearing filler element in the form of a GridBox (hollow box with girder grid interior).
The construction industry has a duty and must significantly reduce its CO₂ emissions in order to comply with the Paris climate agreement. This can only be achieved by dispensing with steel and concrete in building construction. The next logical step is to do away with concrete in basements and floor slabs.
With scrimber technology, timber logs are no longer sawn in a sawmill, but are shredded into long strands with large drums, dried, and then pressed into rectangular pieces. This is a very efficient process for producing load-bearing components for long-term carbon storage.
FAQ
The most important questions
Do you have further questions? Get in touch with us.
- Which are the advantages of timber buildings in general?Timber construction is experiencing a real boom in Europe. Apartment buildings with over 300 apartments, commercial and industrial buildings, administrative buildings, hotels and high-rise buildings made of wood bear witness to this. The most important advantages of timber construction compared to other construction methods are the faster construction time and the resource- and climate-friendly use of building materials, since wood is a renewable raw material. Here you will find a compilation of the most important advantages of timber construction.
- Which are the advantages of TS3 over concrete?Thanks to TS3, wood can do everything that concrete can. Simple, sustainable and ecological. Buildings with steel and concrete cause very high CO₂ emissions during production. Cement production alone is responsible for five to eight percent of global CO₂ emissions. One cubic meter of reinforced concrete causes around 500 kg of CO₂ emissions during its production. The situation is quite different with wood: The naturally renewable building material requires only solar energy and water for its production. As it grows, a tree converts CO₂ into oxygen thanks to photosynthesis. Each cubic meter of wood thus stores around one ton of CO₂ in the long term. Anyone who wants to make a contribution to climate protection is building with wood today.
- What material is the joint of the TS3 joint made of?The TS3 compound consists of a two-component polyurethane casting resin made partly from biobased materials. The organic matrix of the mixed polyurethane casting resin has a biobased content of about 50%, which comes from renewable raw materials such as vegetable oils and their derivatives. The raw materials used comply with the legal requirements of the European Union (EU) and REACH. The casting resin used in TS3 technology does not contain any chemicals on the Substance of very high concern (SVHC) list and therefore does not pose a risk to human health or the environment. For more information on the casting resin, please refer to the factsheet.
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