Internship | Protective mass timber structures

About this position

How can we use engineered wood in building designs with protective requirements, without visibly revealing its protective nature? Mass timber (MT) structures have been around for ages, but applying engineered wood (e.g. cross laminated timber, glulam) is relatively new. Its circular nature and speed of construction make it very attractive for building applications, including for buildings which may experience extreme loads. To allow MT structures to withstand extreme loads several techniques are used: energy absorbing connections, integrating ballistic protective materials in the laminates and add-on reinforcements (GFRP, steel, polymer coatings). The main challenge is to design the building such that its protective value is not visibly noticeable to the public. The aim of this MSc graduation project is to explore ways to use engineered wood to provide protection against extreme loads (explosion, gunfire) for buildings with high (public) value. The project is a collaboration between TNO and the TU Delft Faculty of Architecture & the Built Environment.

What will be your role?

The thesis topic is broadly formulated, and will be tailored based on your interests and background. A few areas that are particularly relevant for the design of protective timber buildings:

Design development by theoretical and numerical methods; Development of fabrication methods and validation with prototypes; Testing in laboratory (e.g. static, dynamic, ballistic/blast).

You will perform this assignment in TNO’s Department of Personal Protection and Explosives Safety (PPES). Our field of research is unique and challenging. We are engaged in the development and testing of protection concepts for people and critical infrastructure against ballistic threats and explosions. In addition, we work on safe storage, transport and transshipment of ammunition. With our support, new protection technologies are developed that are ultimately used by Defence, the Police and civil domains.

What we expect from you

You are in the final stages of your master’s degree in architecture, structural engineering or a related field and are interested in the field of building design for extreme environments. You can develop new designs based on analytical and numerical methods. You are also interested in the practical side of the problem, like developing fabrication methods and building prototypes to validate your models. One of the possibilities is to perform ballistic testing on wood (composite) prototypes at the TNO facility in The Hague Ypenburg. Finally, you are able to concisely report your scientific findings.

What you'll get in return

You want an internship opportunity on the precursor of your career; an internship gives you an opportunity to take a good look at your prospective future employer. TNO goes a step further. It’s not just looking that interests us; you and your knowledge are essential to our innovation. That’s why we attach a great deal of value to your personal and professional development. You will, of course, be properly supervised during your work placement and be given the scope for you to get the best out of yourself. Furthermore, we provide:

A highly professional, innovative internship environment, within a team of top experts. A suitable internship allowance ( euro for wo-, hbo- and mbo-students, for a full-time internship). Possibility of eight hours of free leave per internship month (for a full-time internship). A free membership of , where you can meet other TNO professionals and join , such as sports activities, (work-related) courses or the yearly ski-trip. Use of a laptop. An allowance for travel expenses in case you don’t receive an OV-card.

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