A great opportunity for 20 junior professionals to be part of the Winter School, hosted by University of Florence.

Three days for going in-depth about characteristics of wood and its actual behaviour in timber construction, through hands-on activities. It includes laboratory experiences covering the following:

• practical tests for the microscopic and macroscopic identification of wood; 
• observing of shrinkages and swellings of wood; possible hidden tension;
• identification and measurements of wood characteristics influencing strength;
• non-destructive testing on wood; application of existing/ancient wooden members;
• understanding visual and machine strength grading systems;
• mechanical tests on small, clean wooden specimens and on full-size beams,
• identification of biotic attacks on wood and of the main types of alteration.

A study visit to the company Timberlab s.r.l  - engaged in wood innovative transformation process  - completes the learning programme.

The participants are selected on the basis of the results of the Webinars assessment.

Winter School Florence 2025 – draft programme*

Winter School, hosted by the University of Florence, offers three days for going in-depth about characteristics of wood and its actual behaviour in timber construction, through hands-on activities. It will include laboratory experiences covering the following:

• practical tests for the microscopic and macroscopic identification of wood, 
• observing of shrinkages and swellings of wood; 
• identification and measurements of wood characteristics influencing strength,
• non-destructive testing on wood; application on new/existing wooden members,
• understanding visual and machine strength grading systems,
• mechanical tests on small, clear wooden specimens and on full-size beams,
• identification of the main biotic attacks and alteration on wood.

Dates     28, 29, 30 January 2025.
Venue   Laboratories are located in Via San Bonaventura 13 Florence (https://www.wood.unifi.it/vp-78-laboratori.html). 
Visit    The period includes a visit to the TimberLab company in Bibbiena (AR), engaged in innovative wood transformation processes.
Participants    Maximum number 20
Selection    Participants are selected among those who have completed the 8 webinars organised by the University of Florence, available on the FormaGenova platform module 3 (https://formagenova.it/ulp_course_categories/be-wooden/). The selections will be made on the basis of the score totalled in the questionnaires provided at the end of the webinars and, in the event of equal scores, preference will be given to the youngest participants. Selections will be made in December 2024.
Conditions     The University of Florence will bear part of the costs of accommodation and food.

*Note: the programme may be subject to change