In 2022, Nasi Hasani was a second-year Ph.D. student in wood science and engineering with a background in architecture. Nasi, along with a team of six students, took on the WoodRise seismic challenge by the French Institute of Wood (FCBA) in Bordeaux, France.
The Challenge: The WoodRise seismic challenge is an international competition involving students from countries participating in the WoodRise alliance. The goal of this year’s competition was to design seismic-proof structures. The challenge coincided with the WoodRise congress in Bordeaux and other side events in October 2023. The contest site was the FCBA mechanical laboratory, equipped with a large shaking table (6m x 6m) capable of simulating seismic forces along one horizontal axis.
Design and Preparation: The team submitted a dossier and was selected as one of the five finalists to build their model for the competition. The competition accepted teams from Chile, Switzerland, Japan, and Scotland as well. Their design incorporated innovative elements such as timber Buckling Restrained Braces (BRBs) with rocking Mass Plywood Panel (MPP) shear walls, pinned columns at each floor level, and mass timber diaphragms. A scaled test model, 1.2m tall and featuring six stories, was constructed during the summer of 2023 at OSU. Tests on materials and connections were conducted to troubleshoot the design.
The Competition Day:
On October 16th, 2023, the competition took place at the FCBA mechanical laboratory, featuring 10 rounds of ground motion tests simulating some earthquakes happened around the world. The team’s structure endured nine consecutive ground motions, with only a few column connections breaking during the eighth motion. Between earthquake simulations, each team presented their designs to the audience and the judges, including Michael Green, Marjan Popovski, and Julien Brassy.
WoodRise Congress and Results:
On October 17th and 18th, the team attended the WoodRise congress. The results were announced on the second day, with Nasi’s team securing second place with an honorable mention. The congress days included presentations, discussions, and networking opportunities, capturing the essence of the international wood industry. Nasi’s journey through the WoodRise seismic challenge exemplifies the intersection of academia, innovation, and international collaboration.
A heartfelt thank you extends to those whose unwavering support and contributions have made this journey an enriching and successful experience: The Dean’s Investment Fund Award for International Engagement and the College of Forestry’s International Programs office
Professors, funders, and individuals from OSU who supported us: Andre Barbosa, Tyler Deboodt, Erica Fischer, Eric Hansen, Hyojung Kwon, Iain Macdonald, Mariapaola Riggio, Evan Schmidt, Arijit Sinha, Thomas Catterou from FCBA
Esteemed judges: Michael Green, Marjan Popovski, and Julien Brassy
Last but certainly not least, Nasi’s great teammates: Jacob Atkins, Tanner Field, Steven Kontra, Nicholas Thielsen, Juan Sebastian Zambrano Jaramillo
