RAT Chat - June #5 Industry and Research Unite to Advance Timber Prefabrication

Swinburne University of Technology, in collaboration with MiTek, Multinail, Pryda and the Frame and Truss Manufacturers Association of Australia (FTMA Australia), has commenced a new research project focused on automated design for prefabrication in timber construction, supported by the Australian Government’s Australian Forest and Wood Innovations program (AFWI-0018).

Prefabricated timber construction presents a compelling opportunity to address Australia’s growing demand for mid-rise residential buildings, driven by population growth and housing affordability pressures.

By shifting more construction processes off-site, prefabrication has the potential to significantly enhance productivity, reduce construction timelines, and improve quality outcomes. Timber, as a lightweight and renewable material, is ideally suited to prefabrication while aligning strongly with national priorities to transition toward a net zero future and support resilient, sustainable communities.

Despite these advantages, the uptake of timber framing systems in mid-rise construction has been relatively cautious. A key barrier is the lack of clear and consistent design guidance for modern methods of construction, particularly in relation to lateral load-resisting behaviour. In mid-rise buildings, the lateral load-resisting system plays a critical role in ensuring overall structural stability. This system includes horizontal diaphragms (floor and roof systems), which transfer wind and seismic forces to the vertical resisting elements (such as bracing walls), which in turn transfer these loads to the foundation and ground.

Existing design approaches and code provisions are largely based on traditional on-site (stick-built) construction and do not adequately capture the behaviour of modern prefabricated or hybrid systems. As a result, designers and manufacturers often need to rely on project-specific assumptions, bespoke testing, or performance-based solutions. This can introduce additional cost, uncertainty, and risk, limiting broader adoption.

This project aims to address these challenges by developing evidence-based design guidance for timber-framed systems, encompassing traditional stick-built and prefabricated construction methods. The research will involve a comprehensive program of experimental testing and numerical modelling to evaluate the structural performance of modern timber diaphragms and their connections.

The outcomes of the project will be compiled into practical design guidance for industry, delivered through publications, conferences and workshops. In addition, there is potential for integration of the research findings into digital design tools, supporting more streamlined and automated workflows for prefabrication and manufacturing.

A key aspect of the project is its close collaboration with industry partners, ensuring that the research outcomes are grounded in real-world practice and can be readily implemented. This builds on the long-standing capability of the frame and truss sector, which has been at the forefront of prefabrication in Australia.

By bridging current knowledge gaps and enabling more consistent and reliable design approaches, the project will support Australian manufacturers and designers in delivering innovative, code-compliant timber systems for mid-rise construction. In doing so, it contributes to addressing housing supply challenges while advancing broader objectives in productivity, sustainability, and structural resilience.

  
Figure 1: Preliminary large-scale timber-framed floor test at the Smart Structures Laboratory, Swinburne University of Technology

Swinburne Timber Structures Workshop 2026

Swinburne University of Technology is hosting a one-day workshop on timber structures, bringing together Australian and international experts to share the latest advances in timber engineering and construction.

Through a combination of research, industry case studies and practical applications, the program will showcase advances in the design of timber buildings, structural resilience and fire performance, timber connections and framing systems, digital design and manufacturing, and research shaping the future of the built environment.

Whether you are involved in engineering design, manufacturing, construction, research, or project delivery, this workshop offers valuable technical insights, practical knowledge, and opportunities to connect with peers across the timber sector.

Date: Friday 17 July 2026
Location: Hawthorn Campus, Swinburne University of Technology
Registration: Click here

Dr. Anita Amirsardari
Swinburne University of Technology

Anita is a Lecturer and Research Fellow at Swinburne University of Technology and serves as Timber Engineering Manager for the Australian Engineered Fasteners and Anchors Council (AEFAC). Her research focuses on the behaviour and performance of structural systems, with expertise in the lateral performance of buildings, including earthquake-resistant design, the testing and evaluation of connections and building components, structural reliability, and finite element analysis. 

For more information, please reach out to Rhianna Robinson.