Introduction of a semi-probabilistic moisture safety model for tall timberbased building shell – a risk based durability approach

Recently several timber buildings are built as high-rise buildings. They challenge not only height but moisture safe conditions for mainly wood-based building envelopes under increased exposure. Compared to fire safety and structural demands, the risk of moisture damages today is underestimated in planning, construction and service life management. The main objective is to facilitate the confident design of durable and cost-effective component for tall timber facades by the blend of best-practice with a risk-based concept. Therefore the aim is to develop ‘semi-probabilistic safety concepts’. The methodology encompasses a hygrothermal risk model with vulnerability of timber-based shell and the climate conditions for exposure. Risk assessment steps are combined with Life Cycle Costing and Life Cycle Assessment methods to a multidisciplinary design optimization setting. For maintenance management and durability forecasting the accepted risk-level can be chosen due to the prediction of design alternatives and their life cycle costs for wood-based building shells.