State of The Art Review of Log Home Construction from a Building Science Perspective
Open Access
- Author:
- Field, Tobey
- Area of Honors:
- Civil Engineering
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Ali M Memari, Thesis Supervisor
S. Ilgin Guler, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Log Homes
Log Home Construction
Wood
Building Science
Efficiency
Thermal Resistance
Moisture
Air Leakage
Shrinkage
Log Homes
Log Home Construction
Wood
Building Science
Thermal Resistance
Thermal Mass
Moisture
Air Leakage
Shrinkage
Fire Protection
Modular Construction - Abstract:
- With the demand for additional housing and commercial buildings on the rise, the global log home market is anticipated to increase considerably over the next decade. Factors such as their appealing aesthetics and environmentally friendly materials are just some of the reasons behind their rising popularity. The focus of this paper is to review the deficiency of homes from the building science aspects by focusing on properties such as thermal resistance, moisture related performance, air leakage potential, cracking of the logs due to shrinkage or deformation/deflection, and fire resistance. One of the most notable positive features of log units is their thermal mass attribute, which reflects the ability to store heat energy during the day and release it during the colder evenings. Exploiting this property can be beneficial in saving heating energy. Proper installation of mass walls and air-tight envelopes can result in a reduced carbon footprint and heating cost, thus making these homes more desirable. When designing proper envelopes to minimize air infiltration and moisture accumulation, it is necessary to consider the shrinkage the logs will undergo post-construction, in particular if green logs are used. From the moment logs are cut and installed, they will begin to shrink by adjusting to their surrounding environment (temperature and humidity) and the compression due to the dead load from the roof. The shrinkage process can take several years to complete and neglecting the shrinkage effects can result in an unstable and inefficient home. The frequent occurrence of wildfires across the U.S. also demands an in-depth analysis of the fire resistance of log homes and methods that can be implemented to reduce the rate at which fire spreads. Understanding the building science aspects of log homes is necessary for developing solutions that will lead to increased energy efficiency and durability of log home construction. Having a detailed background in log home building science also allows for the analysis of new technology like modular construction and the ability to determine possible issues that can arise with the implementation of new log home technology.